Bicycle Barometers help cyclists feel validated

The Eco-Totem Counter along Remington Greenway in
Fort Collins. Image Credit: NFRMPO Staff

When a commuter on a bike rolls by the Fort Collins Eco-Totem on the Remington Greenway, they are immediately counted and added to the daily tally that displays digitally to all passers-by. There is also an annual tally that creeps up with each bicyclist. The counter was installed in December 2017 to help the City of Fort Collins understand travel patterns following the bicycle-friendly improvements along the Remington Corridor, and to give instant and continuous feedback to those using the infrastructure. Many cities across the U.S. have installed permanent counters to better understand how and where cyclists are using the road and trail network. San Francisco, for instance, has 75 counters throughout the city, some with displays and some without. The NFRMPO region is home to 18 permanent counters with a handful to be installed in late 2017 or early 2018. There are also several mobile counters that can be installed temporarily on trails and bike lanes across the region. To learn more about non-motorized planning efforts in the NFRMPO region, check out the 2016 Non-Motorized Plan.