Congratulations for powering Asheville on Bikes’ participation in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, a collaboration celebrating its fifth year in 2014. Welcome to our training page! We strongly encourage participating counters to view the full 15-minute training video for complete understanding of the count methodology. The following is a brief summary intended solely for overview/planning purposes.

What to Wear

Safety vest or bright, highly visible clothing.

What to Take

• Count forms and instructions
• Clipboard and 2-3 pens or pencils
• Watch or timer to measure 15-minute increments
• Weather-related or personal comfort items such as a folding chair, hat, sunscreen, jacket, snack

View and download count form PDF here: ScreenlineCountForm

Using the Count Form

• Note name and phone number for any follow-up questions
• Note intersection location
• Note date and specific 2-hour time frame
• Note weather conditions
• Every 15 minutes, begin a fresh tally in a new 15-minute section of the count form

Counting Methodology (begins at 3:40 in the training video)

Persons participating as counters should stand or sit in a safe, off-street location that provides a full view of the entire intersection. Persons in automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds and motorized scooters are NOT counted. Persons entering and exiting buses are counted as pedestrians or bicyclists depending on counter’s observations. Each Bicyclist, Pedestrian, or Other Person traveling through the intersection in any direction (and without the use of a motorized vehicle as described above) is to be counted individually.

• A Bicyclist is a person traveling on a bicycle, tricycle, unicycle, tandem, or similar vehicle. (Asheville’s well-recognized PubCycle carries as many as 13 individuals, all counted individually.) Bicyclists are categorized as male or female to the best of the counter’s ability. Bicyclists are categorized as helmet-wearing or non-helmet-wearing to the best of the counter’s ability.
• A Pedestrian is a person traveling on foot. Persons using ANY assistive device (such as a motorized or non-motorized wheelchair), or riding in strollers or child carriers are also pedestrians.
• Other Persons are those persons traveling in a manner not described above, such as those using inline skates or a skateboard.

(Towards the end of the training, Laurie discusses how to count assistive devices and made an error.  Individuals using ANY assistive devices should be counted as pedestrians.  Users of mopeds and motorbikes should not be counted as cyclists or pedestrians, even if they are using sidewalks, bike lanes or greenways.  We apologize for any confusion.  ALL persons using assistive devices should be counted as pedestrians.)

Questions? Laurie Stradley, lstradle@unca.edu, 828-258-7711 Barb Mee, City of Asheville, bmee@ashevillenc.gov, 828-232-4540 More about the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. This training video graciously created by Laurie Stradley, UNCA. More about Asheville on Bikes. Ready to sign up to count?

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This year, Asheville on Bikes encourages businesses, nonprofits, and religious and community organizations to supply the volunteers required for successful counts.

There is overwhelming public support in our community to advance safe and accessible pedestrian and bicycle transportation within our community. The recent results of the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Walk Survey, The Mountain Xpress’s Best of Survey, and a variety of recent studies highlight the public’s enthusiasm for active transportation.

Asheville has made strides in expanding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, but significant deficits remain. A recent article in the Asheville Citizen Times lists Asheville as the most dangerous city for walking in the entire state.  We need to do better, we can do better, and we will do better.

This September, volunteer for the 2014 National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project  to advance pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure.

Join Asheville on Bikes, The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club,  the AVL Bicycle & Pedestrian Task Force, Healthy Buncombe,  and the NC Center for Health and Wellness in this year’s bicycle pedestrian counts. These counts are essential in advancing active transportation because they inform planning and engineering professionals on the diversity of our transportation habits. There are plenty of methods used to count  motorized vehicles, but  there is a  dangerous dearth of methods for counting  pedestrians and bicycles. This year, you can change that. When you volunteer for the  Pedestrian and Bicycle Counts, you play critical role in:

• Building a robust and public database of pedestrian and bicycle use
• Identifying trends in biking and walking
• Establishing a national model for predicting pedestrian and bicycle travel.

Transforming our transportation network is no small task. It takes many people working together to advance  active transportation. This year, I encourage businesses, nonprofits, and religious and community organizations to supply the volunteers required for successful counts. In return of your volunteerism, Asheville on Bikes will feature your organization on our website and social media.

Pedestrian / Bicycle Counts will be twice a day and are scheduled for Sept. 16th – 20th. If you’re ready to count, please complete the Ped / Bike Volunteer Form. Contact me at (mike@ashevilleonbikes.com) if you have any specific questions or requests.

Respectfully,

Mike Sule

Director of Asheville on Bikes

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