Were COVID pedestrian streets good for business? Evidence from interviews and surveys from across the US

Hayden P. Andersen

University of California, Davis

Dillon T. Fitch-Polse

University of California, Davis

Susan L. Handy

University of California, Davis

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4141-1290

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.2023.2251

Keywords: COVID, Economics, Open Streets, Pedestrian, Parking


Abstract

During the COVID pandemic, at least 97 US cities closed downtown streets to vehicles to create commercial pedestrian streets with the goal of encouraging active travel and economic activity at safe social distances. This study addressed three questions about these programs for businesses located on a pedestrian street: 1) what factors influenced their feelings about the program; 2) what concerns did businesses located on pedestrian streets have; and 3) how did the pedestrian street program impact a business’s revenue as compared to other businesses in the area on streets that did not close. We created a geographic database of these pedestrian streets and identified nearly 14,000 abutting businesses, from which we collected interview and survey data. The interviews and survey results highlight key issues surrounding businesses’ experiences with pedestrian streets. Businesses abutting pedestrian streets had a slightly higher opinion of these programs than businesses not abutting these streets. A test of the effect of pedestrian street interventions on business revenue using a pseudo-control group showed the effect to be uncertain but, on average, negligible. The findings point to steps that cities can take to maximize the benefits of pedestrian streets for local businesses. 


Author Biographies

Dillon T. Fitch-Polse, University of California, Davis

Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Transportation Studies

Susan L. Handy, University of California, Davis

Director, National Center for Sustainable Transportation


References

American Community Survey. (2019). 2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, Tables ‘B01001_001’ and ‘B19001_001’ through ‘B19001_017. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.

Baxandall, P., Dutzik, T., & Hoen, J. (2008). A better way to go: Meeting America’s 21st century transportation challenges with modern public transit. Denver, CO: U.S. PIRG Education Fund.

Bohl, P. (2009). The effects of store atmosphere on shopping behavior — A literature review. Corvinus Marketing Tanulmánok, 2, 1–24.

Chaudhuri, A., &. Zieff, S. G. (2015). Do open streets initiatives impact local businesses? The case of Sunday streets in San Francisco, California. Journal of Transport and Health 2(4), 529–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2015.07.001

Clifton, K. J., Muhs, C., Morrissey, S., Morrissey, T., Currans, K., & Ritter, C. (2013). Examining consumer behavior and travel choices. Portland, OR: Transportation Research and Education Center.

Combs, T., & Pardo, C. (2021). Shifting streets Covid-19 mobility data: Findings from a global dataset and a research agenda for transport planning and policy. Transportaion Research Interdiciplinary Persepctives, 9, 100322.

Douglas, G., Weinstein Agrawal, A., Currin-Percival, M., Cushing, K., & DeHaan, J. (2019). Community benefits and lessons for local engagement in a California open streets event: A mixed-methods assessment of Viva CalleSJ 2018. San Jose, CA: Mineta Transportation Institute.

Engelberg, J. K., Carlson, J. A., Black, M. L., Ryan, S., & Sallis, J. F. (2014). Ciclovía participation and impacts in San Diego, CA: The first CicloSDias. Preventive Medicine, 69(S), 66–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.10.005

Federal Highway Administration. (2012). Bicycle and pedestrian program, accommodating bicycle and pedestrian travel: A recommended approach. Washigton, DC: Federal Highway Administration, Office of Planning, Environment, & Realty (HEP). http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/guidance/design.cfm

Federal Transit Administration. (2021). Bipartisan infrastructure law. Washington, DC: Federal Transit Administration. https://www.transit.dot.gov/BIL

Feinberg, R, A. (1991). A brief history of the mall. Advances in Consumer Research, 18, 426–27.

Forkes, J., & Smith, N. L. (2010). Bike lanes, on-street parking and business, Year 2 Report: A Study of Bloor Street in Toronto’s Bloor West Village.Toronto: Toronto Center for Active Transportation.

Gregg, K. (2019). Conceptualizing the pedestrian mall in post-war North America and understanding its transatlantic transfer through the work and influence of Victor Gruen. Planning Perspectives, 34(4), 551–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/02665433.2018.1437555

Hipp, J. A., Eyler, A. A., & Kuhlberg, J. A. (2013). Target population involvement in urban ciclovias: A preliminary evaluation of St. Louis open streets. Journal of Urban Health, 90(6),1010–1015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-012-9759-6

Jordan, S. W., & Ivey, S. (2021). Complete streets: Promises and proof. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 147(2): 04021011. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)up.1943-5444.0000684

Judge, C. E. (2015). The experiment of American pedestrian malls: Trends analysis, necessary indicators for success and recommendations for Fresno’s Fulton Mall. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3502.7280

Matuke, S., Schmidt, S., Li, W. (2020). The rise and fall of the American pedestrian mall. Journal of Urbanism, 14(2),1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/17549175.2020.1793804

Mehrabian, A., & Russell, J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

National Association of City Transportation Officials. (2013). Neighborhood Main Street. In Urban street design guide. New York: NACTO. https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/streets/neighborhood-main-street/

National Restaurant Association. (2021). State of the restaurant industry report measures virus’ impact on business. Washington, DC: NRA. https://restaurant.org/articles/news/new-report-measures-pandemics-effect-on-business

National Trust for Historic Preservation. (2022). Celebrating 40 years of Main Street America successes. Washington, DC: National Trust for Historic Preservation. https://savingplaces.org/guides/celebrating-40-years-of-main-street-america-successes#.Yl27gOjMJLk

Panko, R. (2018). The popularity of Google maps: Trends in navigation apps in 2018. https://themanifest.com/mobile-apps/popularity-google-maps-trends-navigation-apps-2018

Pojani, D. (2008). American downtown pedestrian malls: Rise, fall, and rebirth. Territorio, 46(3), 173–80. https://doi.org/10.3280/TR2008-046027

Popovich, N., & Handy, S. L. (2014). Bicyclists as consumers mode choice and spending behavior in downtown Davis, California. Transportation Research Record, 2468, 47–54. https://doi.org/10.3141/2468-06

Project Open Streets. (2021). Open streets initiatives. https://openstreetsproject.org/map-of-open-streets-initiatives

RetailNext. (2021). Retail performance pulse: April 2021 store results. https://retailnext.net/en/benchmark/retail-performance-pulse-april-2021-store-results/

Shoup, D. (2005). The high cost of free parking. Chicago: American Planning Association.

U.S. EPA. (2021). National walkability index. Washington, DC: U.S. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/smart-location-mapping#walkability

Volker, J M. B., & Handy, S. (2021). Economic impacts on local businesses of investments in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure: A review of the evidence. Transport Reviews, 41(4), 401–31. https://doi.org/10.1080/01441647.2021.1912849

Von Schneidemesser, D., & Betzien, J. (2021). Local business perception vs. mobility behavior of shoppers: A survey from Berlin. Transport Findings. https://doi.org/10.32866/001c.24497