Philadelphia Installs Electronic Devices To Count Bikes In Bike Lanes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) -- Philadelphia is studying bike riding trends in the city in order to improve safety for riders. Officials on Friday installed electronic devices to count the number of bicycles using a bike lane.
The permanent bike counters were placed on Spruce and Pine streets, near 12th Street.
"Unlike the other permanent counters on our region's trails, these in-street counters are the first of their kind in a bike lane on a city street," said Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission executive director Barry Seymour. "This is a great new source of data because we're able to monitor the levels of biking on each street, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year."
Officials said there has been an increase in bike ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic as more Philadelphians seek ways to safely travel and get exercise while socially distancing.
With the unexpected shifts in travel patterns, planners will be able to see how trends change over time, officials said.
According to city officials, the counters are the first of a kind in the region.
Not only do they count the number of riders, but officials said they also monitor seasonal and time-of-day trends. The data from the counters will help drive decisions about traffic patterns and infrastructure improvements.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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