Bikes benefit business

More protected cycling lanes would mean more foot traffic for South Van storefronts

By PALAK KLAIRE

Businesses in South Vancouver are not receiving the full benefit of increased traffic from cyclists due to South Vancouver’s scattered bike lanes that are often unprotected from traffic.

According to Kay Teschke, a professor at UBC who helped initiate the Cycling in Cities program which investigates factors that encourage or discourage cycling, people fear the busiest trails in South Vancouver as a result of sparse biking routes that are often potentially dangerous.

Teschke said, “in popular areas for bicycling like Main Street there are no decent bike lanes.”

Many bikers fear collisions and while many bike lanes provide protection the risk factors are a big concern for large parts of South Vancouver.

“Cambie has bike lanes but they