DVRPC counts people walking and biking in our nine-county region to better understand their travel and plan the future of the region’s active transportation network. Our count programs allow planners to measure existing levels of bicycling and walking, monitor travel trends, plan for new or improved facilities, and measure outcomes of bicycle- and pedestrian-related projects. Count locations are selected by our partners and staff for various purposes and projects identified in our Annual Work Program.
DVRPC Count Viewer
To view our count data in the interactive map, enter a municipality/city, zip code, or, for Philadelphia, neighborhood name. The data can also be viewed using the custom search or by entering the DVRPC file number under “Advanced Options.” To show only bicycle and pedestrian counts in the viewer, select “Count Types” and deselect all count types under “Motorized Traffic.” Select the “Data Access” feature under “Advanced Options” to download the count data.
Permanent Bicycle and Pedestrian Counters
DVRPC uses permanently-installed counters to document use of the region’s Circuit Trails network as well as on-road bicycle facilities. This page provides a snapshot of this data in a simple, user-friendly format allowing users to explore data from counters throughout the region.
DVRPC Open GIS Data
In DVRPC’s Data Center, you can download a CSV, shapefile, GeoJSON, or KML file of the bicycle count dataset and the pedestrian count dataset.
Count Programs
DVRPC owns, installs, and maintains its counting equipment. Our bicycle counts are taken primarily using the Pneumatic TUBE System from Eco Counter, while our pedestrian counts are taken using Pyro-Box Evo from Eco Counter.
DVRPC collects counts under three primary programs: Project, Cyclical, and Permanent.
Project Counts
Project counts are short-duration counts conducted to measure bicycle and pedestrian volumes at or near a project area, such as an intersection or corridor. If counts are taken at the exact location before and after a project's installation, the results can be analyzed to assess the project’s impact on bicycle and pedestrian volumes.
Cyclical Counts
Cyclical counts are collected for a short-duration at the same location at regular intervals on an ongoing basis to track bicycle and pedestrian volumes and patterns over time. The locations for the counts were selected for their representative attributes, geographic diversity, and facility types (bicycles only). DVRPC staff has conducted analyses of the cyclical data to uncover trends in the behavior of bicyclists and pedestrians.
View recent analysis of our Bicycle Cyclical Count Program: DVRPC's Bicycle Cyclical Count Program Story Map (2014 to 2022)
Permanent Counts
Permanent counters collect data continuously throughout the year on the region’s Circuit Trails Network and on-road bicycle facilities. The counts collected at these permanent stations help DVRPC develop seasonal adjustment factors, a correction factor to account for seasonal variation in volumes. View a map of DVRPC’s permanent bicycle and pedestrian counters.
How Do We Use this Data?
DVRPC staff analyzes data to uncover trends in the behavior of people walking and biking. Using the data, we can make informed conclusions about what might be causing a particular behavior pattern. The data analyses and their conclusions help inform policy decisions at all levels of government and help guide future infrastructure investments for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Count DataGlossary of Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Terminology
- Seasonal adjustment factor: a correction factor to account for seasonal variation in ridership.
- Equipment factor: a correction factor to account for equipment overcounting or undercounting the actual number of users.
- Annual Average Daily Bicycle (AADB): calculated by multiplying the raw bicycle count data by the seasonal adjustment and equipment factors.
- Annual Average Daily Pedestrian (AADP): calculated by multiplying the raw pedestrian count data by the seasonal adjustment and the equipment factors.
Disclaimer
While every effort is made on the part of DVRPC to provide valid and current information, DVRPC makes no representation or warranties, express or implied, about the validity of this information and is not to be held responsible for errors in data obtained from this website.