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City planners have another tool at their disposal when it comes to understanding the usage of Calgary's extensive pathway network: a new Eco-totem installed along River Walk on the south side of the Bow River. The Eco-totem — a six-foot-high digital panel that displays a daily and yearly live count of pedestrian and bicycle traffic — is the second to be installed downtown, the other located on 5 Street SW near the 9 Avenue underpass.
"Putting in these pedestrian counters is great for us as we can use the data they collect to make better decisions on future pathway projects," said Ben Ference, senior pathways and trails technician. "They're also popular with pathway users — it's a great way for people to see how much the pathways are being used."
The device will give City staff a snapshot of the pathway's usage and who is using it over an extended period of time. In addition to satisfying the curiosity of pedestrians and cyclists travelling along the path, the data will help inform future infrastructure upgrades and identify any multi-use improvements that are needed.
The City also counts daily bicycle traffic through sensors set up on the Peace Bridge, cycle tracks and Stephen Avenue. The permanent bike counters allow the City to monitor circulation trends, including how bicycle usage varies with the weather, day of the week, and season. The information gathered from the new Eco-totem an the numerous other counters are publicly available online.
