Bike Share Could Increase Property Values

The bike share program could increase property values in areas where stations are located, according to an article in One Earth.

Interestingly, when it comes to property values, it’s generally accepted that higher-traffic streets are correlated with lower property values.  But with bike infrastructure, the opposite seems to be true. In London, there’s no surer sign that a property is located in an upward-trending hot spot than the presence of a nearby bike-share station. One real-estate broker notes that her company’s agents “have been inundated with questions from prospective tenants about the nearest docking station.” (And what’s true in London also appears to be true here: in Washington, D.C., proximity to a Capital BikeShare station now appears in real-estate listings — along with hardwood floors and top-of-the-line appliances — as an amenity.)

Interestingly, there were similar protests against the bike share system before it started in London in 2010, and the outcry was loudest in the most upscale areas, said the story. The new system has encouraged lots of non-bike riders to take up the mode of transport, probably having a positive effect on traffic and health: 49 percent of people who use the London system said they started bicyling in London because of it.
Overinflated: Why the NYC Bike Share Backlash Is a Good Thing [One Earth]