Date:  Monday, September 21, 2009

Contact: Ian Macek, WSDOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator, 360-705-7596

OLYMPIA –Volunteers in communities across the state will be out on street corners next week tallying the number of people who walk or bike to their destinations. The information being gathered this fall will be used to track progress toward the state’s goal of increasing bicycling and walking in Washington and reducing the number of vehicle miles driven.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is doing this count as part of the National Documentation Project, an annual bicycle and pedestrian count and survey effort that is sponsored by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, and to determine progress toward its goal of increasing non-motorized trips.

WSDOT and the Cascade Bicycle Club have enlisted volunteers and organizations like FeetFirst and the Bicycle Alliance of Washington to count the numbers of people bicycling and walking on paths, bike lanes, sidewalks, and other facilities on Sept. 29 and 30 and Oct. 1.

Cascade Bicycle Club is using its network of members and other volunteers to perform the counts in selected cities (Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Everett, Issaquah, Kelso, Kent, Kirkland, Longview, Olympia, Redmond, Richland, Spokane, Tacoma, Tukwila, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima).

“There is still time to get involved,” said Ian Macek, WSDOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator. “We couldn’t do this survey without volunteer support, so we hope that people will sign up if they live in or near a count community.”

Those who are interested in helping can learn more by visiting WSDOT’s Web site, www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/Count.htm, or by contacting Cascade Bicycle Club at organizer@cascadebicycleclub.org or calling 206-957-0689.

A follow-up trends report will be available in January 2010 at www.wsdot.wa.gov/bike/Count.htm.

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