Almost 500 people representing over 100 cities met in Chicago last week to discuss the future of shared transit at the Shared Use Mobility Summit (SUMC). The conference shed light on many changes occurring on our streets including implications of autonomous vehicles, rapid growth in ride  and bike sharing, and changing consumer preferences for automobiles, . 

Executive Director of SUMC, Sharon Feigon started the conference by pointing out that transportation is the #2 household expense in America, averaging 29% of household income. Much of this is driven by the cost of car ownership. She reiterated the mission of the Shared Mobility Use Center: making it possible to live well without owning a car through a multi-modal transit system available for all. ​Those shared modes include car sharing, bike sharing, and ride sharing. 

Over the past several years, a significant trend has emerged with young adults choosing to live in urban areas over suburban locales. According to Nielsen, "62% of millennials indicate they prefer to live in the type of mixed-use communities found in urban centers, where they can be close to shops, restaurants and offices."  This preference for urban areas has not gone unnoticed by employers who are also moving or relocating to the urban core. Recently, in Chicago alone, Motorola, ConAgra, GE Healthcare, Archer Daniels Midland, Kraft-Heinz and now McDonald's have moved or announced a move to walkable neighborhoods and downtowns. 

​While there are many factors at work, what's remarkable is the role that biking and bike-friendly communities play in this shift. Smart Growth America just released a report called Amazing Place: Six Cities Using the New Recipes for Economic Development that examines these trends.