More Comments, Information on the Richfield Bike Route Debate

Editor's Note: Richfield Patch and readers have been following and commenting on the controversy surrounding proposed bike routes throughout the city. The following is a letter from Molly Illes, Richfield resident and member of the Bicycle Master Plan Task Force.

Dear Richfield Patch, Residents and Readers:

Some residents in Richfield have about the bicycle lanes proposed by the citizen-driven Bicycle Master Plan Task Force. I appreciate safety and property value concerns and as a Richfield resident living on Oliver Avenue—which is a proposed route, I wanted to do some research to shape my opinion on the matter.

My husband and I bought our house on Oliver Avenue eight years ago. Since then our two children, five and six years old, were born. We purchased our home here because it was more affordable than houses in Minneapolis, yet still had an urban feel. It’s very important to us to be able to walk to the library, parks, shops and restaurants. It is also vitally important to us—particularly as our kids begin riding their bikes—that we are able to safely bike through Richfield.

Here is a quick review of issues related to municipal and regional bike paths on housing values, safety, livability and Generation Y housing needs of the future.

Impact of Bike Paths on Safety

There have been numerous bicycle route safety studies performed. In a University of Texas study using national data, they conclude that only 2.2 of all bicycle-related accidents occurred when a cyclist was in a bicycle lane. They also found that bike lane crashes tended to produce fewer than their share of fatal accidents. 

Housing Value Impact

The resale value of housing near bicycle lanes is important data to consider. In a Colorado study, researchers interviewed residents along and near bicycle paths in Denver. The conclusion was that residents felt the trails increased their neighborhood appeal. Twenty-nine percent of residents surveyed suggested that the trails in their urban neighborhood influenced their decision to buy their homes. Another study in Seattle found that nearly two thirds of residents felt the trail increased the quality of their lives and that initial concerns about declining property values, increase in crime and safety issues were unfounded. Lastly, an Omaha survey of residents living within one block of bicycle trails concludes that 81% of the residents feel that the path will have a positive or no effect on their ability to sell their homes.

Livability for Generation Y

Another interesting facet to consider is the needs young home buyers. At the National Association of Home Builders conference held last month, there was a presentation on what home buyers born in the 1980s and 1990s are looking for in housing and communities. According to a Wall Street Journal blog on the topic, Gen-Yers want to decrease their dependence on cars. They want to walk or bike everywhere. The especially good news for suburbs like Richfield is that since the housing prices in Richfield tend to be a little less expensive than Minneapolis; won’t Richfield be a prime target for Generation Y home buyers?

So, after a little research, I was able to put my mind at ease. I feel that the work the task force has done and the proposed routes would greatly enhance the livability in our city!

Oliver Avenue is a prime location for a bike path since it one of the few through streets for middle school students who choose to ride their bikes. Safety is a top concern for me and I look forward to the continued discussion and the eventual bicycle path network that Richfield will have.

We will use it. We will enjoy it. And we will encourage our friends to move to our neighborhood as a result.

I encourage everyone who has an opinion on this matter to come to the event at Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m.

Sincerely,

Molly Illes

Richfield resident and task force member