NextCity surveys a variety of new data-collecting technologies meant to clarify the impacts of bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects.
Bike advocates rely on the Census Bureau's American Community Survey to measure demographics and trends in urban cycling. But local conclusions drawn from that big-picture data can be misleading, Next City reports, and more precise strategies are in the works—including "bike-counter totems, GPS-enabled smartphone apps and cameras that use machine learning."
One piece of hardware, Numina, can count the users of a piece of infrastructure and discern patterns in their behavior. It uses a camera programmed to recognize and count moving parts like cyclists or pedestrians.
Others, like Strava and MapMyRide, can track bike routes via GPS and smartphone apps, as well as users' demographic data.
Each approach has its advantages and shortcomings, but advocates hope that together they can contribute to a more robust understanding of the impacts of complete streets infrastructure.
FULL STORY: More Accurate Bicycle Counter Could Give Complete Streets Advocates a Boost
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The new active transportation plan will amend the existing bicycle master plan to include additional safety improvements for pedestrians and other multimodal road users.
New Bikeways Coming to Atlanta This Year
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Bay Area Leads the Nation in Reducing Solo Commuters
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National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
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Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
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Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service