A vibrant New England city is divided over plans for bike lanes that could take five years to build, with local businesses fearing that the construction will only drive customers away.
The bike lane battle is playing out in Northampton, Massachusetts, which has about 31,000 residents and is nicknamed the 'Paradise City.' It sits about 100 miles west of Boston.
The $43.3 million proposal would renovate Northampton's Main Street by adding separated bike lanes, reducing parking spots and narrowing it from about 90 feet wide in some places.
The first phase of construction is expected to start in 2028 and the entire downtown project, called Picture Main Street, could take five years to build, according to the Boston Globe.
The owner of Packard's bar, 81-year-old Robert McGovern, insisted that 'people are not going to bicycle in town to go shopping' and called the plan a 'kiss of death for downtown.'
'Grandma is not going to be sitting in a … basket while you pedal her to Packard's for a beer,' McGovern told the outlet. 'It's not going to happen.'
However, others showed their support for the redesign and encouraged the plan to go even further.
'I would love to do away with all parking on Main Street,' Jennifer Nery, a local acupuncturist, told the outlet.
Residents of Northampton, MA, are split over a $43.3m plan that would renovate the city's Main Street by adding separated bike lanes, reducing parking spots and narrowing the street
It is expected that the first phase of construction for the project, called Picture Main Street, will start in 2028 and the entire proposal could take five years to build
Nery said she would like to see 'an even stronger version of a public square.'
However, McGovern insisted that years-long construction would only discourage people from visiting downtown.
'The big crowds of people we had in the 80s and 90s, they've gone away,' McGovern said. 'And they're not coming back.'
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra has been one of the project's biggest backers, calling Picture Main Street a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign downtown Northampton.'
Sciarra said it was important to 'provide all available opportunities to minimize our reliance on motorized vehicles for trips that can be completed by other means.'
'Some people need to roll, walk, or bike,' she said.
Anna Bowen, the owner of Strada Shoes on Main Street, said the plan made her 'very nervous.'
'I've survived online shopping,' she told the outlet. 'I've survived Trump twice now. I've survived COVID.'
However, she admitted that she was 'not 100 percent sure' her business could make it through the redesign.
Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra called the planned redesign a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign downtown'
The city is expected to pay $11.8 million of the plan's projected $43.3 million cost
Wayne Feiden, who previously led Northampton's planning department for 25 years, said Main Street was built in the 19th century.
People had to visit downtown to shop then, but 'they have other options' now.
'It has to be a different kind of place,' Feiden told the Boston Globe.
Northampton resident Liza Styles said she was excited about the bike lanes, though she noted that other locals might have a difficult time adjusting to the redesign.
'It is a huge change, and change is hard,' Styles said.
Elizabeth Sharpe, the co-director of the Historic Northampton museum, said Main Street was 'an idea' that some locals might feel nostalgic for.
'It represents order, your values, responsibility, civic virtues,' Sharpe told the outlet. 'It's a place where people come together.'
Anna Bowen, the owner of Strada Shoes on Main Street, said her business 'survived COVID' but was 'not 100 percent sure' she could make it past the redesign
Nothampton, which sits about 100 miles west of Boston, is known as the 'Paradise City' and has about 31,000 residents
Northampton's website for the proposal said the dedicated bike lanes would be 'great for everyone.'
'They result in fewer injuries, improved traffic flow, safer sidewalks, they're better for the environment, and they make people healthier,' the plan said.
Of the redesign's projected $43.3 million cost, only $11.8 million is expected to be paid by the city.
The rest of the $31.5 million will come from state and federal funds for construction.
Though Northampton is known as 'Paradise City,' it has struggled with affordable housing and traffic accidents.
There were 497 accidents investigated in 2025, according to the Northampton Police Department.
Of those, 421 involved personal injury or property damage exceeding more than $1,000.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Northampton Mayor's office for further comment.
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