Cambridge business owners say bike lanes are keeping customers away

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CAMBRIDGE – The city of Cambridge is remaining sued to avoid the set up of extra bicycle lanes. Harold Gilmer owns Elite Barber Shop on Mass. Ave and has been slicing hair in the neighborhood for 21 decades. “It’s affected all people close to right here, the business is not the identical,” Gilmer said.

He claims the city’s recent cycling protection ordinance, which calls for bicycle lanes all along Mass. Ave, is hurting local small business entrepreneurs.

“We have been possessing parking up and down Mass. Ave for this entire time and to pay out your costs you need to have individuals be ready to pull over and stop by the stores,” Gilmer claimed.

Other proprietors concur, the new absence of parking indicates significantly less buyers by way of their doorways.

“We could not appropriately make a purchaser foundation, people were not strolling in so we experienced to regulate to endure we experienced to do far more takeout and delivery,” claimed Som Pogosov of Phoenix Kitchen.  

Proponents of the bicycle lanes point out the metropolis will be eliminating the median involving Roseland and Beech Avenue by the conclusion of July to produce far more parking places in the Porter Square region.

Chris Cassa, a volunteer with Cambridge Bicycle Security, adds just about two-thirds of the Cambridge neighborhood rides bikes and protection continues to be the largest concern.

“We care deeply about building confident that you will find enough parking but also want to make certain that people recognize that safer streets that help persons go a lot more proficiently by way of the streets are going to support assist little companies,” Cassa reported.

“Especially on Mass. Ave from 2015 to 2021 6 people have died on our streets who are biking and 250 persons who ended up biking have been included in a crash that was with a motor automobile that resulted in an personal injury or more than $1,000 damage.”  

“If we go out of small business we are going to have a ton of terrific bike lanes, but it will be a shallow location,” Sam Pogosov said.  

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