2013 Count Report
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Bike Walk Twin Cities 2013 Count Report Issued December 12, 2013 a program of transit for livable communities Executive Summary This annual report, the 2013 Bike Walk Twin Cities Pedestrian and Bicycle Count Report, provides a detailed view of bicycling and walking at benchmark locations across the Twin Cities. This ongoing to develop a more complete picture of overall travel behavior in our communities. collection of annual data about nonmotorized traffic supplements existing data on motorized traffic key findings 1. Rates of bicycling and walking Annual counts at 43 benchmark locations in the Twin Cities metro indicate that bicycling increased 78 percent and walking 16 percent between 2007 and 2013. Overall, active transportation (bicycling and walking together) rose by 45 percent from 2007 to 2013. Between 2012 and 2013, bicycling increased 13 percent, walking decreased 6 percent, and active transportation increased 4 at locations encompassing a broad range of street types and facilities and representing all areas ofpercent. Minneapolis The findings and several are based adjacent on manual communities. 2-hour Thecounts 2013 conducted counts are by thespecially-trained highest ever recorded volunteers for bicycle trips, and the second highest ever recorded for pedestrian trips (down slightly from the record high of 2012). Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 1 2. Impact of new facilities 2013 key findings Count locations with new facilities (new bike lanes summary* or other improvements) showed higher increases in bicycling than locations without improvements. Trails 2007-2013 connections saw the greatest increases in bicycle where extensions were built to improve network Bicyclists: +78% to facilities improvements and more related to major destinations.use. Increased Count pedestrian data continue traffic seems to demonstrate less related Pedestrians: +16% that fewer bicyclists ride on sidewalks when there is Nonmotorized: +45% a dedicated bicycling facility available. This has safety for pedestrians and making bicyclists more visible and 2012-2013 predictablebenefits for toall motorists.road users, making sidewalks clearer Bicyclists: +13% 3. Mode share Pedestrians: -6% Nonmotorized: +4% Bridges provide a unique opportunity for the study of modes in a network. A comparison of motorized and *Based on data from 43 benchmark movement and the proportion of traffic using different locations. nonmotorized traffic on bridges over the Mississippi River shows that the nonmotorized share of traffic ranges from 11-26 percent and averages 16 percent. 4. Gender The data show that the rate of increase in bicycling and walking has been similar for men and Thewomen. gender The difference gender split, for averagingwalking is 29 percent female bicyclists from 2008-2013 (with a range of not27-32 as percent),pronounced, remains with roughlyan average the of same as it was in 2008, when gender data collection began. 45 percent women pedestrians from 2008 to 2013. 5. Seasonality In addition to annual counts, BWTC locations since 2008. The monthly has conducted monthly counts at six 2013, while absolute numbers of bicyclistscount data are indicate much lowerthat from in winter 2008- months, bicycling increased at a higher rate in winter than in summer months. Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 2 I. Introduction that since 2007 bicycling has increased by 78 percent and walking by 16 percent. Since 2007, total Bike Walk Twin Cities counts of bicycle and pedestrian traffic at 43 benchmark locations reveal percent, walking declined by 6 percent, and nonmotorized trips increased by 4 percent. non-motorized trips have increased by 46 percent. From 2012 to 2013, bicycling increased by 13 as well as counts conducted by the City of Minneapolis, both of which show that trips made by walkingThe dramatic and bicycling increases have are neverconsistent been with higher. the findings of the American Community Survey (ACS) Since 2007, 7 of the 43 benchmark locations have more than doubled in the amount of observed bicycle traffic. Over that same period, 5 of the 43 benchmark locations have seen more than double Citythe amount of Minneapolis of pedestrian show tentraffic. additional There likely such arelocations, many otherof which locations eight have that areimproved not part facilities. of this count Not surprisingly,program where the non-motorized locations that have travel shown has more the greatest than doubled. increases For ininstance, bicycling counts are along conducted corridors by the that have been improved for bicycling or where trail extensions have been made to fill network gaps. downtownIn terms of Minneapolis.pedestrian traffic, the greatest increases in walking are in places where new destinations have been built: for example, near the new Twins Stadium and other recent developments in bicyclists riding on sidewalks, which is inherently dangerous both for bicyclists and pedestrians. Investments in new bike facilities have had the additional benefit of greatly reducing the rate of Pedestrian, Bike, and Total Non‐motorized Traffic in the Minneapolis NTP Study Area September, 4‐6pm Counts 2007‐2013 16000 14000 12000 10000 Bike Pedestrian 8000 Non‐motorized 6000 4000 2000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 3 locations with increases greater than 100%, 2007-2013 Bicycling Name | Count location | Percentage 1. Bridge 9 | Loc. 3 | 546% 2. Cedar Lake Trail, under I-94 | Loc. 43 | 388% 3. 42nd St. E, east of Minnehaha | Loc. 25 | 285% 4. Cedar Lake Trail at Royalston with new extension | Loc. 70 | 278% 5. Loring Bikeway Bridge | Loc. 74 | 167% 6. 26th Ave. N, east of Penn | Loc. 15 | 114% 7. Midtown Greenway, west of Hennepin Ave. | Loc. 42 | 106% Walking Name | Count location | Percentage 1. Sabo Bridge & 28th St. crossing Hiawatha | Loc. 27 & 28 | 255% 2. Cedar Lake Trail at Royalston with new extension | Loc. 70 | 203% 3. Loring Bikeway Bridge | Loc. 74 | 200% 4. Glenwood Ave., west of Royalston Ave. | Loc. 38 | 177% 5. 26th Ave. N, east of Penn | Loc. 15 | 160% 6. U of M Transitway, east of 25th Ave. SE | Loc. 5 | 113% Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 4 II. Facilities Analysis bicycling Locations with new bikeway facilities showed higher increases in bicycling than locations without Lyndale Ave. N. south of Broadway, averaged nearly the same when neither had bike lanes. In 2009, theimprovements. 7th Street location For example, had 13 two bicyclists locations in thein north two hour Minneapolis, count period, 7th Street while N. the over Lyndale I-94 andlocation had 12. After bike lanes were added in 2012, the 7th Street location doubled to 26 and was up to 33 in 2013. Meanwhile the Lyndale location (still without bike lanes) recorded only 10 in 2012 and 11 bicyclists in 2013. Trails where new extensions were built to complete network connections saw perhaps the greatest increases in bicycle use. For example, bicycling increased by 53 percent from 2012 to 2013 at nearBridge downtown, 9 along the bicycling Dinkytown increased Greenway, 278 percentwhich was from completed 2007 to 2013. in August This 2013. route Frominto downtown 2007 to 2013, bicycling increased 546 percent at the Bridge 9 location. Along the Cedar Lake Trail extension benchmark count locations.) was completed in 2011. (The Cedar Lake Trail extension was not a BWTC project, but is one of the Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 5 Total Bicyclists at Locations with Improved Facilities, 2007‐2013 250 200 150 Bicyclists, 2007 100 Bicyclists, 2013 50 0 walking scarcity of counts conducted in areas where major pedestrian improvements (e.g. new sidewalks) Facility improvement did not correlate as highly with increased walking. This may be due to a Royalston,were made. near In addition, the Twins increased Stadium, pedestrian saw a 177 traffic percent seems increase less relatedfrom 2007 to facilities to 2013. improvements and more related to major destinations. For instance, the count location Glenwood Avenue, west of Some of the improvements for bicyclists resulted in an improved environment for lane conversions with bike lanes) have been pedestrians. For instance, “road diets” (4-3 crashes (and all other crash types) by simplifyingfound to significantly the roadway decrease and reducing car-pedestrian what ais buffer known zone as the for “multiple pedestrians. threat” BWTC pervasive funding andwith encouragement 4-lane roadways. resulted Bike lanes in road also diets provide at the following locations: Riverside Ave., Douglas10th Ave. Drive, SE, Franklin and Marshall Ave. Bridge, Ave. 27th Ave. SE, Fremont Ave. N., parts of Glenwood Ave., Bike Walk Twin Cities | A Program of Transit for Livable Communities | 2013 Count Report | December 2013 | Page 6 sidewalks of bicycles riding on the sidewalk. BWTC 2013 count data again show a high incidence of sidewalk An especially salient count finding demonstrates that bike lanes significantly reduce the incidence do not feel safe on the roadway, a high percentage will use the sidewalk. Yet, research shows that riding on thestreets sidewalk with high may traffic actually volumes be more and dangerous no dedicated for cyclists