The Chicago Bicycle Program is conducting a Monthly Bike Count and a Quarterly Downtown Cordon Bike Count.  Please see below for project statistics, descriptions and volunteer information.

 

 

2012 Monthly Bike Count
The 2012 Monthly Bike Count will be conducted one day per month at 6 locations during the weekday peak morning and evening travel hours (7-9AM/4-6PM).  The 6 locations have been selected based upon planned bicycle projects, existing bike facilities, ease of implementation and current ridership.  The goal of the 2012 Monthly Bike Count is to better understand  seasonal changes in ridership within Chicago.  These 6 locations represent a diverse cross-section of geography, ethnicity and income.

2012 Monthly Bike Count Reports:

Monthly Bike Count Locations

December 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

November 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

October 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

September 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

August 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

July 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

June 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

May 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

April 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

March 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

February 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

January 2012 Monthly Bike Count Results

 

Downtown Chicago Bike Count
The first Downtown Chicago Bike Count was in September of 2011.  Future counts will be conducted every quarter during the weekday peak morning and evening travel hours (7-9AM/4-6PM) and weekend mid-day hours (Noon-2PM).  The September  count was a major success that would not have been possible without the help of nearly 60 volunteers.   Volunteers counted the number of bicyclists travelling in and out of the Central Business District at 20 locations.  The 2012 Downtown Chicago Bike Count  will be held in March, June, September and December. 

 

Downtown Bike Count Reports:

2012 Summer 2012 Downtown Bike Count

Saturday Downtown Bike Count Results

2012 Spring Downtown Chicago Bike Count Stats

2011 Downtown Chicago Bike Count Stats

 

 

If you are interested in volunteering for these projects, please contact:

David Smith, CDOT Bikeways Planner
david.smith@tylin.com
312.742.7620

Call for Summer 2012 Volunteers! More info here.

FAQ
Why count bicyclists?
Bicycle counts are conducted to measure seasonal changes in ridership and to better understand the impacts of enhanced bicycle facilities.  Regularly conducted bicycle counts will help the Bicycle Program evaluate its progress on increasing bicycle use and creating a network that serves all Chicago residents.   

How are bicycle count data used?
Bicycle count data are used to evaluate the utility of new facilities, locate frequently used routes, calculate mode share and perform crash analysis.  As the Bicycle Program moves forward with designing new bicycle facilities it is valuable to have an understanding of ridership before and after project completion to help gauge its success.  Bicycle count data can also be used to educate the public and local officials about the popularity and functionality of non-motorized transportation, to help justify the need for improved facilities and gain insight into the percentage of male/female riders.

The Bicycle Program will release statistics after  each count  and  will develop an end of the year report  summarizing the data.

How are bicycle counts conducted?
The monthly and quarterly bike counts are counted by manual field observations.  Counters collect data at either an intersection or a mid-block point.  Intersection counts include total number of bicyclists and bicycle turning movements, while mid-block counts record the number of bicyclists that cross a screen line.  Additionally, these counts record the gender of riders.

How are count locations selected?
Count locations are selected based on future projects, current ridership and geography. Locations are carefully selected with the goal of accurately gauging ridership by avoiding “double counting” cyclists.  

Interested in Volunteering?
The Bicycle Program needs the help of volunteer counters in order to effectively conduct these projects.   Volunteers are  provided with data forms and over the phone or in–person training.  Counts are generally conducted over a

2 hour time period and no previous experience is required. 

Please contact:

David Smith, CDOT Bikeways Planner
david.smith@tylin.com
312.742.7620