By Charles Pekow – It helps to count trail use on a regional level, as the information can help bolster demands for funding and determine where to prioritize maintenance. A central Pennsylvania transportation planning agency took a look at the effects of the more than 100 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails in its area and used counters to estimate usage.
The 11-county SEDA Council of Governments Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) realized that it (like many other MPOs) lacked a formal method for evaluating trail use and demand, so it started a project in 2022 with six counters. It learned where and when people are most likely to use which trails.
One thing the MPO learned is that not many people ride trails at night, so it determined it should not prioritize lighting and that it could be acceptable to close trails at night. And when it learned where the highest-use areas were, it prioritized those locations for COVID-stimulus-funded repairs and maintenance.
Read “Counting on Trails: Measuring Demand on Walking and Bike Paths in Central Pennsylvania” at: https://trnews.org/counting-on-trails-measuring-demand-on-walking-and-bike-paths-in-central-pennsylvania/
