In its attempt to continue its moniker of being the most bike friendly city in the nation (and one that has, in many ways, slowly begun to define the city’s landscape, from the Broadway project to the beach path and beyond), the City of Long Beach is requesting volunteers to help conduct its annual bike count.
Stretching into its 15th year, the annual count attracts hundreds of volunteers at 30-plus key intersections around the city. The job? Count every single bicyclists, pedestrian, skater, roller skater, and electric scooter user. The point? To help better understand where people are not using cars; to figure out if there are more pedestrians in one area versus another because of safety and design concerns; to see if pedestrians in a dangerous intersection can be diverted away from that danger through easy interventions or if the intersection deserves an entire overhaul to better accommodate them…
In other words, it helps city planners better understand biking and pedestrian culture and, most importantly, how to make it safer for everyone across the board.
“An accurate count helps the City analyze how our community uses our roads and public spaces,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a press release. “This is an important effort that will help us improve the design of our streets and make recommendations for new projects.”
Per the City of Long Beach:
Those interested in volunteering can sign up sign up online now through Oct. 26. Volunteers must be available to participate in the count at one or more of the following times:
- 7AM to 9PM on Thursday, Oct. 27
- 4PM to 6PM on Thursday, Oct. 27
- Noon to 2PM on Saturday, Oct. 29
Volunteers will be able to select their preferred location when signing up to volunteer. They will also receive bike and pedestrian count forms and instructions electronically or by mail. The completed count forms can be scanned and returned via email or returned by mail.
More information is available on the Department of Public Works’s GO Active LB webpage.
