Help us with the annual bike count

In the 16 years of the voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority plan and countywide sales tax, 78 bicycle and pedestrian crossings have been constructed to improve safety and efficiency for those modes of transportation.

Pima Association of Governments, the organization that manages the RTA, is conducting its annual Bicycle and Pedestrian Count to understand the numbers and trends for both groups.

It is critical to understand where the safety improvements are needed, and you can help gather some of the data that informs the decisions about how and where to continue to invest RTA and other regional dollars.

The 2021 count, for example, showed more than 70% of riders counted that year were wearing helmets, up from about 45% in 2013. It also showed that the percentage of cyclists riding the wrong way or using sidewalks (instead of riding in the street in the same direction as traffic) was on the rise. This data can help inform outreach campaigns or improve transportation planning efforts.

Participating to count is easy. Just sign up for a two- or three-hour volunteer shift to count at a location of your choice, tally what you observe, and send it to our offices. Your participation can be used to gain volunteer hours for service or school community involvement projects.

The count runs Oct. 17 to Nov. 2. You can sign up for as many shifts as you’d like.

Here’s how the bike count works:

1) Visit the sign up page to see which locations and times are available.

2) Sign up for one or more shifts that work best for you. Weekday morning shifts are from 7 to 9 a.m., weekday evening shifts are from 4 to 6 p.m., weekend shifts are on Saturday or Sunday from 7 to 10 a.m.

3) Complete the online training.

4) Perform a count at your designated location.

5) Submit your tally by email or mail.