The Washington State Documentation Project occurs annually in the early fall. Bicycle and pedestrian usage of specific intersections in cities throughout the State will be counted and documented, similar to the National Documentation Project.
Calling all Volunteers!
Volunteers are needed in communities across the state to help count the number of people who walk or bike to their destinations. The information being gathered this fall will be used to track progress toward the state’s goal of increasing bicycling and walking in Washington.
We are excited to announce that Issaquah, Kelso, Redmond and Tukwila will be joining Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Everett, Ferndale, Kent, Kirkland, Longview, Lynden, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Richland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima in the 2009 counts.
How can I participate in counting bicyclists and pedestrians in my community?
If you see your community listed, or want to help with the statewide counts, contact Cascade Bicycle Club via,
To get involved and count bicyclists and pedestrians on paths, sidewalks, bike lanes, and other facilities in your community.
Washington State Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Forms
Below is the updated count form for volunteers, as well as the local count coordinator instruction and background information form.
What is the purpose of this documentation project?
Transportation planning and design at all levels requires understanding of actual conditions. This involves determination of motor vehicle, bicyclist and pedestrian numbers. This data dealing with the characteristics of vehicle or people movement is obtained by undertaking traffic counts.
Just like motor vehicle counts, counting bicyclists and pedestrians at specific locations will help us to more accurately estimate demand, measure the benefits of investments, and design our projects. This information will also help us target safety and mobility projects and improve our traffic models.
How will we collect the counts?
This documentation project will use a data collection protocol similar to and consistent with the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. We are working with a network of city staff, bicycle club members, and other volunteers to collect counts and document them using this consistent process.
Will the counts collected by volunteers be valid?
Yes. This documentation project will use a very traditional method involving placing observers at specific locations to record bicycle or pedestrian movements. Observers use tally sheets to record numbers consistently. In addition, city and state staff will conduct a quality control effort to cross check many of these count locations.
Collecting manual traffic counts in this manner can often be superior to using mechanical counters or sensors and is much less expensive. In addition to their expense, mechanical sensors only cover limited areas of the traveled way frequently missing counts. They are easily displaced and damaged which can lead to inaccurate readings. Manual traffic counts are often required even when mechanical counters are used to ensure accuracy.
2008 Documentation Project
WSDOT and the Cascade Bicycle Club have completed the 2008 Washington State Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project (pdf Mb). Over 19,000 bicyclists and pedestrians were counted in twenty different communities.
Counts were assembled from all over Washington State, but focused on several cities including: Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Everett, Ferndale, Kent, Kirkland, Longview, Lynden, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Richland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima.