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Roger Geller — PDOT‘s bicycle coordinator — has just released a 21-page report that details the “significant findings and analysis” of the 2006 bicycle counts.
Last summer, 53 volunteers fanned out across the entire metro area and conducted 73 distinct counts at 56 locations. Their findings, which are presented in both graphs and spreadsheets in the report, reveal some interesting statistics and trends regarding bicycle ridership in Portland. Among them are comparisons of ridership numbers in each part of the city and the gender and helmet use ratio of Portland cyclists.
From the report:
Counts in 2006 show significant and sometimes dramatic jumps across the city compared to previous counts at the same locations.
- 5 of 12 count locations in SE Portland saw more than 1,000 daily bicycle trips
- 3 of 7 locations in North Portland saw more than 1,000 daily bicycle trips
- 2 of 12 locations in NE Portland saw more than 1,000 daily bicycle trips, and another 3 locations saw more than 850 daily trips.
- 2 of 9 locations in the Central City saw more than 2,000 daily bicycle trips
- Only 1 of 12 locations in West Portland (outside of the Central City) saw more than 1,000 daily bicycle trips with a second location at just under 1,000.
- None of the three count locations in NW Portland had even 750 daily bicycle trips. This is especially disappointing given Northwest Portland’s proximity to the Central City and its population density, which is the highest in the state.
Women as a percentage of all riders have grown consistently over the years. Women now represent approximately 32% of all riders.
- Nationally, women represent approximately one-quarter (25% of all riders); this was true in Portland through 2000.
- In SE Portland women represent 45% of all riders, the highest for any area of the city.
- In SW Portland (not including the Downtown), women represent 23% of all riders.
Bicycle use on the four main downtown bridges.
I reported about this already, but one new stat in this report is that bicycle trips represent approximately 10% of all vehicular trips on
these bridges.
Helmet use has grown in Portland from a low of 52% in 1992 to 73% in 2006.
- Helmet use among women has always been, and remains much higher than for men.
- City-wide, 84% of women wear helmets, compared to 68% of men.
- Helmet use is highest in SW Portland (not including Downtown) with 89% of men and 94% of women wearing helmets. Overall, 90% of SW Portland cyclists wear helmets.
- Helmet use is low in North Portland with 66% of cyclists wearing helmets. Only 58% of male cyclists there wear helmets, compared to 86% of women.
Geller is currently working on an update of Portland’s Bicycle Master Plan and he says this information will,
“among other things, help us better understand how we’ve improved bicycle transportation for Portlanders and where we need to truly focus our efforts and resources in the coming years.”
Geller wants to hear your insights about the data, so take a look at the report and leave your comments here or email him at roger[dot]geller[at]pdxtrans[dot]org.