Miscalculated opposition of businesses to street improvements

Abstract

This study addresses the problem of unfavourable attitude among businesses towards improving non-motorised transportation and public transit infrastructure. Questionnaires were conducted with residents living within walking distance to a commercial street in Los Angeles, with pedestrian visitors of that commercial street and with business owners on the same commercial street. The findings show that there is a misalignment between business owners' perception of their customers' mode of transportation and the reported mode of transportation by the residents and the visitors. Residents and visitors report walking, bicycling and using public transit frequently to come to the businesses on this commercial street, while business owners perceive a very low percentage of their customers using these alternative transportation modes. The authors argue that highlighting this misalignment in the planning process for such infrastructure improvements would help solicit the support of business owners.