WSDOT seeking bicyclist, pedestrian talliers

The Washington State Department of Transportation is seeking volunteers to tally bicyclists and walkers on local bike trails.

The annual count of bicyclists and pedestrians, now in its ninth year, is to take place Sept. 27-29.

“Folks can sign up for shifts. It's a one to two hour commitment per shift,” said Jef Lucero with WSDOT communications.

The statewide program will tally bicyclists and pedestrians in approximately 60 communities across the state, including Pullman, Spokane, Spokane Valley and Walla Walla, among others mostly located in western Washington.

Lucero said the purpose of the program is multi-fold.

“There's several purposes really,” he said. “We help local communities identify ways they can better improve walkways and bike paths, and we work with them to ensure access and mobility for walkers and bikers. It's more for planning and improving already existing infrastructure.”

Depending on the community, volunteers will tally cyclists and pedestrians on roadways and/or trails.

“The cities, they identify the areas they need the volunteers to go, and then that data is entered into a master spreadsheet,” said Lucero. “It helps cities and communities to know where they can make safety improvements.”

Lucero said the study could lead to improvements.

“We really do care about working with cities and communities across the state to develop a range of transportation plans,” he said.

WSDOT is seeking approximately 400 people statewide for the three-day count. Last year, volunteers were able to tally more than 74,000 cyclists and pedestrians on trails throughout Washington.

This count is part of a national program, the National Documentation Project, which helps to measure progress toward the goal of increasing bicycling and walking in an effort to reduce the number of vehicle miles driven.