Here’s a very useful graphic created by Bike Utah, which recently held its statewide Bike Summit in April.
Map of bicycle economic impact studies by BikeUtah.com
Its message is clear, Bicycling Means Business.
It makes one wonder why states aren’t doing everything in their power to promote bicycling. Not only is it a healthy recreational pursuit for residents, but it adds to the bottom line. How many states are in such great shape financially these days that they can afford to ignore millions or billions of dollars.
In study after study in state after state, the results show that bicycling has a positive impact on the economy.
Check out the map. The impacts range from $1.9 billion in Wisconsin, where the bicycle tourism, manufacturing, and retail, environmental and health benefits are considered, to $32 million for Orange County in Florida, where the spending by trail users in a single county was tabulated.
Missing from the map, I should add, is Washington state. A study released in 2015 by Earth Economics of Tacoma for the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office in Olympia showed that $3.1 billion was spent by bicyclists and bicycling excursions, mainly travel, lodging and supplies.
Part of BikeUtah.com presentation
Bicycling accounted for 14% of all expenditures for outdoor recreation in the state of Washington.
Meanwhile, another study not cited in the map determined that bicycle travelers in Montana spend $75 to $102 a day as they ride across the state.
In the US, the Outdoor Industry Foundation estimated in 2006 that bicycling accounted for 1.1 million jobs and $18 billion in federal, state and local taxes.
So, state legislators and bureaucrats, help your state’s bottom line by supporting bicycling and bicycle infrastructure such as bike lanes and bike paths.
Below are listed the sources for the figures on the map.
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