Volunteers Needed! 2017 National Trail Counts

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RSVP at: https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?AP=1530283639&OR=1

Ready, set, count!

Get involved with an ongoing project to collect important data on bicycle and pedestrian activity. This year volunteers will count on September 12 - 14 from 5 - 7 p.m. and September 16 - 17 from 9 - 11 a.m.

Training will be provided for new count volunteers or past volunteers who just need a refreshers at Vancouver City Hall and the Clark County Public Works Service Center. Training date and times to be determined.

To see a complete list of dates, times and locations and to RSVP for your counting site(s) click here.

Trails count when we count them!

Each September, volunteers from throughout the region gather along trails to count and survey people biking and walking on the Intertwine - the Portland metropolitan area's system of trails, parks and natural areas. The count is part of the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project’s ongoing effort to gather accurate trail use data to help decide where and when to build new trails and respond to the needs of trail users.

Partners and volunteers are critical to the project's success.

Across the country more than 93 cities and regions conduct the trail counts each September. Each shift consists of two hours at one count location. Volunteers will be receive maps and aerial photos with specific instructions on how to do the counts. A count form example is located on the Portland Metro website.

Why count?

Walking is the number one recreational activity in the State of Oregon, and bicycling is quickly becoming a key mode of commuting in the city of Portland, with about 10 percent of daily weekday commuters using bikes or walking. The Portland metropolitan area is supported by a system of regional trails that connect people to natural areas and wildlife, transit, schools, shopping and jobs. The growing network of bicycle and pedestrian pathways supports active transportation, offers recreational opportunities and helps the region grow in away that improves livability and reduces energy dependence.

The Intertwine trail counts and surveys project helps maintain and increase these benefits by tracking usage, trail conditions and future demand. Counting automobiles and transit users has been a well-established practice for years, but until now there has been no consistent effort to do the same for bikers and walkers. The lack of data is part of the reason why bike lanes, sidewalks and trails receive less transportation funding.

The data gathered is used to support funding requests, grant applications, planning and development and to better understand the region's overall feelings and values about trails. Trail count data leads to more funding for trails! Volunteers use nationally standardized methods for surveying and data recording in order to ensure consistent responses.