Columbia, South Carolina – The City of Columbia is leading an effort to make sure that all pedestrians and cyclists are included in its upcoming traffic studies. To do this, it is asking volunteers from all walks of life to help with the regular Pedestrian & Bicyclist Counts at different city crossings and intersections. This isn’t just a local project; it’s part of a larger national program run by the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. The goal is to make transit users more visible in urban planning discussions that don’t usually focus on them.
In many cities, standard traffic studies have mostly focused on counting cars, leaving pedestrians and cyclists out of the picture. Columbia’s plan aims to fix this by collecting information about pedestrians and bicyclists. This information is very important for planning and building infrastructure projects so that cities of the future meet the needs of everyone, not just people who are driving.
The counts will happen in key spots picked out by the city, like crossings and intersections where pedestrians and bikers have been in danger in the past. People who contribute will give city planners, transportation agencies, and policymakers useful information about how people use the streets and sidewalks. This knowledge is important for making communities that put walkability, bikeability, and general livability first.
Volunteers are free to take part in as many counting sessions as they want. There are nine time slots open, including weekdays and weekends. To get a complete set of data that shows different patterns of use, each place needs to be counted twice, once during the week and once on a Saturday. People who want to take part can sign up on the city’s website and pick from a list of count sites where they will watch and record traffic on foot and by bike for two hours.
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Nine time slots are available, and each location must be counted once on a weekday and once on a Saturday:
- Saturday, April 6, 10:00AM-12:00PM (noon)
- Tuesday, April 9, 7:30-9:30AM
- Wednesday, April 10, 7:30-9:30AM
- Thursday, April 11, 7:30-9:30AM
- Saturday, April 13, 10:00AM-12:00PM (noon)
- Tuesday, April 16, 7:30-9:30AM
- Wednesday, April 17, 7:30-9:30AM
- Thursday, April 18, 7:30-9:30AM
- Saturday, April 20, 10:00AM-12:00PM (noon)
This plan is a big step toward more inclusive urban planning in Columbia, which means that everyone’s transportation needs are taken into account. By helping with Pedestrian & Bicyclist Counts, people are not only adding to a study; they are also fighting for a place that values and recognizes the diversity of its commuters. The information gathered will help shape future transportation policies and building projects in Columbia, making the city easier to get around and enjoy.
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To sign up, visit . If you have questions regarding the routine Pedestrian and Bicyclist Count effort, contact the Planning Division at 803-545-3222. Reporting and analysis for past count efforts can be found here: https://planninganddevelopment.columbiasc.gov/bike-ped-resources/. For information on the City’s Planning efforts, including the Walk Bike Columbia Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan and the Walkable 29203 Pedestrian Master Plan, visit https://planninganddevelopment.columbiasc.gov/city-plans/.
