Indicator: Bike and Pedestrian Counts
Data and Data Discussion provided by
Cascade Bicycle Club
Sustainability Snapshot:
Increases in bike and pedestrian traffic are a leading indicator of shifts to more sustainable transportation modes. As more people get out of their cars and use their foot power to either walk or bike, they create demand for suitable infrastructure and nearby shops and services which encourages even more people to walk or bike.
Sustainability Trend:
In the city of Seattle, the number of bicyclists entering downtown during commute hours increased by 31% between 2000 and 2007.
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In 2010, Sustainable Seattle determined this indicator was covered by Transportation Choices by Mode. This indicator has not been updated. Please see Transportation Choices by Mode.
Number of bicycles or pedestrians passing through designated intersections for a specified period of time.
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The number of people bicycling and walking continues to increase along with increased investment in these modes of transportation. In the city of Seattle, the number of bicyclists entering downtown during commute hours increased by 31% between 2000 and 2007.
In 2008, the first statewide bicycle and pedestrian counts were conducted in 20 different cities, at a total of 96 locations across the state of Washington. Count data will be collected annually to establish a metric by which the growth in bicycling and walking each year can be estimated.
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Unlike documentation of motor vehicle traffic, bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation lack documentation on usage and demand. Without consistent figures on the demand and usage of bicycling and walking, it is difficult to determine the benefits of investments made in these modes of travel. The National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project was established to address the inadequacies of bicycle and pedestrian data collection. In coordination with this effort, the Washington State Department of Transportation and Cascade Bicycle Club collaborated to complete the first ever statewide bicycle and pedestrian counts in September and October of 2008. Conducting annual statewide bicycle and pedestrian counts will be used as a tool to gauge the progress made with respect to these transportation modes.
The 2008 Washington State Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project Report can be viewed here: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Bike/Bike_Counts.htm
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