Quantifying the Economic Impact of Bicycling: A Literature Review with Implications for Minnesota

Project summary:

Bicycling for recreation and transportation affords a number of benefits to individuals, communities, and society as a whole. However, the breadth of bicycling's economic impact in Minnesota is not documented. Understanding bicycling's role in Minnesota's economy will assist those wishing to support the growth of bicycling activity and bicycling infrastructure. As a first step toward a better understanding of the economic impacts of bicycling, a literature review will review and critically evaluate previous economic impact studies related to bicycling found in both published and grey literature. Literature review areas will include, but are not limited to, tourism, employment, health, transportation, quality of life, and recreation. Findings from the literature review will 1) identify current research in this area and document any gaps in the current understanding of the economic impact of bicycling in Minnesota; 2) provide guidance in designing an appropriate research methodology to quantify the economic impact of bicycling in Minnesota; and 3) identify completed research that may contribute to a potential study of the economic impact of bicycling in Minnesota.