Complete Streets: Good for Business

We are fortunate to live in a community with excellent bicycle and pedestrian access, and I am proud of my work to ensure that future projects maintain the walkability so integral to Highland Park’s character.  Complete streets play an important role in livable communities, where all people – regardless of age, ability or mode of transportation – feel safe and welcome on the roadways.

A new book states what I have long believed: “…it’s pedestrians (and now bicyclists in increasing numbers) that drive sales to street-level businesses, not drivers of cars. There is now an ever-increasing amount of research that demonstrates conclusively that changes to our streets which support bike and pedestrian activity have a profoundly positive impact on street-level businesses.

Aging in Place and Complete Streets

Just before her 99th birthday, we convinced my grandma to give up her driver’s license. While I’ve been an advocate of Complete Streets and Active Transportation for many years, I’ve been thinking more about how someone like my grandma can continue to live independently in the suburbs without a car. There are many options now that did not exist in past years, like ride share services and safer streets. AARP is a proponent of Complete Streets, and here’s a video about why it’s a good policy for older adults. Share your thoughts on this subject by emailing me.