Cambridge business owners say bike lanes are keeping customers away

CAMBRIDGE – The town of Cambridge is becoming sued to stop the set up of a lot more bicycle lanes. Harold Gilmer owns Elite Barber Shop on Mass. Ave and has been chopping hair in the community for 21 yrs. “It truly is afflicted everyone about right here, the business is not the same,” Gilmer said.

He suggests the city’s latest cycling security ordinance, which phone calls for bike lanes all along Mass. Ave, is hurting local business entrepreneurs.

“We have been getting parking up and down Mass. Ave for this whole time and to fork out your expenses you want to have folks be in a position to pull over and visit the outlets,” Gilmer stated.

Other homeowners concur, the new absence of parking implies considerably less shoppers by means of their doorways.

“We couldn’t appropriately make a client base, people weren’t walking in so we had to change to endure we had to do far more takeout and delivery,” stated Som Pogosov of Phoenix Kitchen area.  

Proponents of the bicycle lanes issue out the city will be getting rid of the median between Roseland and Beech Street by the conclude of July to build a lot more parking spots in the Porter Sq. area.

Chris Cassa, a volunteer with Cambridge Bicycle Basic safety, provides almost two-thirds of the Cambridge neighborhood rides bikes and safety continues to be the greatest concern.

“We treatment deeply about building certain that there is adequate parking but also want to make absolutely sure that individuals understand that safer streets that support persons transfer additional proficiently as a result of the streets are heading to aid help small companies,” Cassa stated.

“Specifically on Mass. Ave from 2015 to 2021 6 individuals have died on our streets who are biking and 250 men and women who ended up biking have been associated in a crash that was with a motor auto that resulted in an harm or much more than $1,000 problems.”  

“If we go out of business we are going to have a lot of wonderful bike lanes, but it will be a shallow space,” Sam Pogosov said.