Annual Count & Survey of San José Trails
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TRAIL COUNT Annual Count & Survey of San José Trails With Supplemental Covid-19 Survey (Appendix A) 2020 Trail Count 2020 Trail Count 2020 was conducted under unique circumstances not previously encountered. Volunteers and staff recorded a large decrease in users at most count stations. It is anticipated this is related to the current world health pandemic, Covid-19, the Santa Clara County Shelter-In-Place Order, and the prominent wildfires throughout California and the Bay Area during the week of Trail Count 2020. Ranging between 50 (Moderate Levels) to 150 (Unhealthy Levels for Sensitive Groups), the air quality experienced by trail users during the day of Trail Count 2020 influenced how many people used the trail network. However, seeing the number of people still accessing the trails during these conditions shows the value and daily need of the San Jose Trail Network to provide opportunities for active transportation and recreation. For 2020, the annual Trail Count Survey in alignment with Trail Count Day, received 78 responses. This is low compared to prior years. This reduced amount of responses may be related to the fact that over 300 trail users completed a special survey in June 2020 related to Covid-19 and the County’s Shelter-In-Place Order (for more information, see Appendix A at the end of this report). Having only recently completed a survey within the last three months, trail users may have been less likely to respond to the Annual Trail Count Survey. The following Summary Report shares the purpose and process behind Trail Count, specific findings per trail system, and overall findings based on the San Jose Trail Network. Common themes received from survey respondents centered around the need for increased trail safety and maintenance. Data Collection with a Purpose Trail Count is an annual count and survey conducted along San José Trails. The volunteer-supported effort accomplishes four goals: 1) Document the volume of trail usage with per day and annual figures; 2) Improve trail development (planning and design) for future trails; 3) Improve operations of built trails (maintenance and event coordination); and 4) Improve capability to obtain grant funding for stronger fiscal sustainability. Trail Count was initiated in 2007 to document the impact of trail closures due to downtown’s frequent and large-scale special events. City staff, partnering with the Guadalupe River Park Conservancy and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, sought to show that frequent closures were disruptive to a larger number of trail users and could discourage greater use of the trail systems. Trail Count data supported engagement with the City Council’s Transportation and Environment Committee (T&E) to refine and promote a Trail Closure Process. 1 The result of this collaborative process decreased the amount of closures, required early coordination to limit impacts to users, and established protocols for early public notification of unavoidable closures. Staff continue to work carefully with the Special Events Permit Unit, Valley Water, and contractors to coordinate detours and closures early to reduce impacts to the trail user to the greatest extent possible. This annual effort to collect data can also help prioritize projects, shape policy or change the approach to design. A few years ago, San Jose reached the milestone of collecting data for 10 years. After next year’s 2021 Trail Count, staff, with the foundational support of volunteers, will have achieved 15 years of data collection. Below, are just a few noteworthy insights gained over the past 14 years: • Gap closure projects have a significant impact (86% increase with the completion of Guadalupe River Trail’s Airport Parkway Under-Crossing); • Build trails and they will come (422% more trail users along Guadalupe River Trail as the system was paved and extended); • Highly-used trails may encourage more women to use trails (the percentage of women using trails increased from 26% in 2008 to 35.5% in 2020); • The number of people accessing the trails for health and fitness purposes has increased from 36% in 2008 to 50% in 2020); and • The rate of active transportation dropped noticeably in 2020 (The presumption is that with a major shift to "work from home" due to the County's Shelter-in- Place Order, fewer people are commuting daily to work sites). The Trail Program has been substantially funded by external grant sources. Many grant programs require documentation of project outcomes. Grant programs administered by the Bay Area Quality Management District and State Programs such as the Active Transportation Program require before and after data only available through efforts like Trail Count. With over $40,000,000 in awarded grant funds since 2003, San Jose’s annual Trail Count continues to advance the City’s goal of fiscal sustainability. 2 50% HEALTH & FITNESS is primary reason for using San José Trails 30% for Recreation 13% for Active Transportation* 7% Other *Active Transportation percentages may be lower than normal due to the large increase of employees working from home, arising from the County’s Shelter-In-Place Order. 3 Data Collection Method Volunteers used the following tools: • Count Sheet: The count sheet records usage in 15-minute increments. The sheet provides space to identify pedestrians, bicyclists and other users (equestrian, electric scooters, etc.). Volunteers are asked to record unusual conditions (special event traffic, large groups such as high school track teams, etc.). Count sheets use graphics to reinforce and clarify the definition of bicyclists (unicycles included) and pedestrians (wheelchairs and Segways included, as defined by California State Law). • Survey Card: Not used due to current situation surrounding Covid-19. • Social Media Engagement: For 2020, in response to Covid-19, staff and volunteers did not distribute hard copy survey cards, but rather promoted the survey through social media outlets and email engagement to volunteers, partners, advocates, and users accessing the trails on the day of Trail Count. The survey deadline was extended until Thursday, September 24. • Instructions: Emails are sent to all volunteers providing instructions on how to complete and return the count data. Options for submitting the data included email and text message. Due to precautions around Covid-19, in-person delivery was not included as an option this year. For 2020, all count sheets were photographed and sent via text message or email to the Trail Analyst. All count sheets were gathered and documented by Wednesday, September 16. • Support: The Trail Manager, Senior Analyst and Volunteer Program Manager visited all sites throughout the day to respond to questions, and to encourage and thank the volunteers. Trail Count volunteers bearing with a strange weather day. Los Gatos Creek Trail pictured left and Guadalupe River Trail pictured right. 4 Date Selection and Count Periods San José Trail Program staff have consistently conducted counts in mid- September as recommended by the National Pedestrian and Bicycle Documentation project (NPBD). This time of the year is desirable for counts for the following reasons: 1. School is in session; 2. Weather is mild with rain unlikely; 3. Daylight hours extend past 6:00 pm; and 4. Several State grants are due in the fall making data collection timely. The NPBD recommends a one-day count and suggests it occur between September 9 and 15. San José’s Trail Count 2020 occurred on Wednesday, September 9. San José’s Trail Count has occurred on Wednesdays in September since its initiation in 2007. In 2020, the fourteenth annual Trail Count included eleven count stations: • Seven stations were monitored for a 12-hour count period from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (This 12-hour period is recommended by the NPBD); • One station was monitored for eight hours (Three Creeks Trail at Willow Street); and • Three count stations were monitored during morning peak hours (7:00 am to 9:00 am) and evening peak hours (4:00 pm to 7:00 pm) due to limited resources and anticipated low volumes of below 200 counts (Coyote Creek Trail at Stonegate Park, Los Gatos Creek Trail at Auzerais Avenue, and Thompson Creek Trail near Tully Road). Sustaining stations for over a decade has created a robust data set that offers Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) Planners unique insights and guidance for improving projects and has made San José well-recognized as a resource for pedestrian and bicycle data. Over the years, the Trail Count data set has been shared with agencies to support research: • University of Texas - Dallas • Rails to Trails Conservancy • Metropolitan Transportation Commission Count Stations Ideally, the City would establish count stations across the entire Trail Network, but limited staff time, volunteers and resources focus data collection on a limited number of sites. Staff has sustained count stations along the Guadalupe River Trail since the first Trail Count in 2007. This trail system is one of the largest systems in the Network, extending from downtown through Silicon Valley, and is 5 defined as a Core Trail in the Network (i.e. a primary, long-distance route that extends past varied land uses). Over time, staff has added additional count stations. In 2008, staff added the two stations along Los Gatos Creek Trail and in 2012, the count station at Los Alamitos was incorporated into the annual tradition. Additional short-term or permanent stations have also been added throughout the years. The strategy for adding short-term or permanent stations has been: • Document popular regional systems (Guadalupe River Trail, Los Gatos Creek Trail, Coyote Creek Trail, and Los Alamitos Creek Trail); • Document the value and impact of upcoming trail extensions (Coyote Creek Trail, Los Gatos Creek Trail at Auzerais Avenue, Thompson Creek Trail, and Three Creeks Trail); • Obtain data needed to submit compelling grant applications to fund the design and construction of projects; and • Support community groups that wish to advocate for trail development or operational changes (Five Wounds Trail and Communications Hill Trail).