Annual Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts in Somerville Since 2010

Volunteer-collected annual counts of cyclists and pedestrians at specific locations in Somerville, Massachusetts, since 2010. Data is collected using a 'screen line' method during one-hour morning and evening sessions each fall. The dataset captures trends in active transportation but does not provide movement-level detail.

Use Cases

• Analyze long-term trends in bicycle and pedestrian counts across Somerville to assess changes in active transportation usage.
• Compare morning versus evening count sessions to understand daily commuting patterns for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Identify locations with significant year-to-year variations in counts, potentially linked to external factors like construction or weather.
• Use the 'screen line' count methodology to study aggregate flows of people biking and walking at specific street intersections.

Strengths

• Data collection spans over a decade, providing a longitudinal view of trends since 2010.
• Counts distinguish between bicycle riders and pedestrians, including details on micro-mobility devices and strollers.
• The 'screen line' methodology is clearly defined for consistent data capture across locations and years.

Limitations

• Counts are not conducted at all locations every year, creating gaps in spatial and temporal coverage.
• Data accuracy is impacted by variable factors like weather, construction, and volunteer availability, limiting precision for specific percentage changes.
• The dataset provides only location-level aggregate counts; movement-level data (e.g., turning movements) is not included.

Provenance

Source

City of Somerville

Collection Method

Volunteer data collection using a 'screen line' method during one-hour morning and evening sessions each fall.

Time Range

Annual counts since 2010.

Freshness

Annual collection each fall; last updated metadata indicates 2025-12-27.

Geography

Somerville, Massachusetts, USA.