The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched a new program to help metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) use portable automatic counters to tally pedestrians and bicyclists.
The one-year program, Bicycle-Pedestrian Count Technology Pilot Program, is providing funds to ten MPOs to purchase the equipment necessary to carry out counts within their planning areas. In return, the MPOs will share their data and experiences with the FHWA and other organizations, which the FHWA will use to inform new guidance on automated counting technology.
Throughout the program, the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center and FHWA will provide technical assistance on how to develop a count program and how to collect and analyze the data. This project is part of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx's "Safer People, Safer Streets" initiative to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety nationwide. Participating MPOs are:
- Providence Metropolitan Planning Organization (Providence, Rhode Island)
- Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council (Buffalo, New York)
- Richmond Regional Transportation Planning Organization (Richmond, Virginia)
- Puerto Rico Metropolitan Planning Organization (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization (Palm Beach County, Florida)
- Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno, California)
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments (Cincinnati, Ohio)
- South-East Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
- Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization (Memphis, Tennessee)