A recent report by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) analyzed the retail activity around bike lanes, pedestrian plazas and slow zones that have recently been developed. DOT found an increase of as much as 49% in retail sales at some downtown businesses since bike lanes were initiated in the fall of 2007, as well as a drop in commercial vacancies of almost 50% in the area around the new pedestrian plazas and reconfigured traffic flow at Union Square.
To learn more: http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/10/24/report-bike-lanes-pedestrian-plazas-good-for-businesses/?blog_id=147&post_id=16110