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Sign our letter from businesses & organizations below!

SIGN BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION LETTER

To the city of Columbus and all who care about the future of Indianola Avenue:

As business, non-profits, and civic organizations in Columbus, we support the addition of continuous bike lanes on Indianola Avenue, as proposed by the city of Columbus as part of the Indianola Avenue Complete Streets Study. We understand that the introduction of bike lanes will require a reduction of parking on Indianola, yet the plan does retain a substantial number of free on-street parking spots in the business area. The plan thus appropriately balances multiple needs. Improving the corridor for cyclists will also improve safety for other street users, including drivers and pedestrians, while encouraging multi-modal and sustainable transportation.

As community members we appreciate the challenges and struggles of local businesses and support these businesses in every way we can. We believe—and have evidence to support—that communities that support many forms of transit are communities that thrive. This includes our local neighborhood businesses.

Adding bike lanes is not a barrier to business, but an opportunity. Cyclists and pedestrians make faithful customers; many of them may already frequent business in the area, and many more may benefit from passing by the storefronts on Indianola at ground level rather than speeding by without a second glance.

The proposed changes would result in a street that is more people-friendly.The proposal fits with Columbus’ Vision Zero initiative, at a time when traffic deaths are rising at alarming rates both in our city and nationwide. The proposal also fits with Columbus’ Climate Action Plan, which includes reducing car trips as part of our city’s overall emissions.

This project is not just about today and it is not just about Indianola Ave. We have the opportunity to shape our city and our neighborhoods to be safer, more sustainable, and more human-scaled. This project and other complete street projects will work towards the city’s goals of having safe, people-friendly, and vibrant communities in the years to come.