Every other year (currently odd years), in accordance with the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, the City of Durango performs counts of bicycle riders and pedestrians. One of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field is the lack of documentation on usage and demand. Without accurate and consistent demand and usage figures, it is difficult to measure the positive benefits of investments in these modes, especially when compared to the other transportation modes such as the private automobile. An answer to this need for data is the National Bicycle & Pedestrian Documentation Project, co-sponsored by and Alta Planning and Design and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council. This nationwide effort provides a consistent model of data collection and ongoing data for use by planners, governments, and bicycle and pedestrian professionals. Having accurate data helps the City of Durango to know how our infrastructure is being used and is necessary to secure grant funding for projects such as sidewalk repair, bicycle facilities, and transit system improvements.
The Multi Modal Division of the City of Durango conducts these counts in the fall of every odd year. The dates used are those suggested by the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. There is generally a series of three different days on which the counts are to be performed. On each day there are two shifts of two hours each. For the sake of consistency, the same 9 locations throughout city limits are used every year that the counts are performed.
To conserve costs and encourage citizen participation, volunteers are recruited to conduct the actual counting. With three days of counting and two shifts on each day at nine different locations, there is a total of 54 slots to fill.
