2025 Theses Master's

Active Transportation to Redefine a Commercial Center: A Study of the Hudson Square Business Improvement District

Xu, Daniel

This thesis examines how Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) can evolve beyond their traditional service roles into active infrastructure leaders, focusing on the Hudson Square BID in New York City. Through a mixed-methods approach combining Citi Bike trip analysis, GIS mapping, commuter surveys, and stakeholder interviews, the research documents how the BID led efforts in planning, funding, and implementing active transportation infrastructure.

Findings reveal that strategic investment in pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and protected bike lanes attracted a younger, creative-class workforce and reshaped commuting patterns, transforming Hudson Square into a dynamic live-work neighborhood. The study proposes a hybrid governance model where BIDs act as localized stewards of urban infrastructure, offering a replicable framework for other districts seeking mobility-driven revitalization.