New research suggests that “Complete Streets” — those carefully designed, multi-modal travel corridors that often include, yes, bike lanes — can yield handsome returns on investment for cities. Like millions, sometimes realised in no more than a year, because shared streets reduce collisions, which in turn saves money on medical costs and property damage. And there’s more. These street alterations are also correlated with increased property values and even higher employment numbers.

That’s according to the first major before and after study on the Complete Streets movement, which has touched down in more than 700 cities, counties and states nationwide. The report by Smart Growth America, titled “Safer Streets, Stronger Economies,” studied 37 of these projects

Read more at this article in Philadelphia Magazine.