Bicycle counters to be installed downtown, US 2

Thanks to funding from the Washington State Department of Transportation, bicycle counters will be installed downtown and on U.S. Highway 2. One counter will be located at Front and Ninth streets, while other will be located on U.S. Highway 2 near the Park & Ride. 

The WSDOT selected the city of Leavenworth to receive funding through the Pedestrian and Bicycle Program’s Permanent Statewide Bike Counter Network in the amount of $5,970, which will cover the cost of the counter. 

WSDOT will install the counters at no charge. 

“The city will be responsible for five years of sharing data with the WSDOT at a cost of approximately $420 per year. We also have provide regular maintenance, including battery replacement, which is $125 every two years, spot maintenance,” said Public Works Director Herb Amick, at the March 14 Leavenworth City Council meeting. “The actual expenditure by the city would be $3,500 over that five years.”

In July of 2016, the city was approached by Jeff Aken of the Cascade Bicycle Club about the possibility of participating in this project with possible funding assistance. Participation will allow the city, with limited expenditure, to share in the collection of a wealth of data, Amick said. 

“This would include information such as total bike travel over a period of time, daily averages, monthly averages, busiest days, busiest periods or weeks, direction of travel, etc. This continuous data collection will allow the city and council to better understand and evaluate trends over time, determine the success of promotional events, improve decision making, and justify the need for improving infrastructure,” Amick said. 

On Front Street, this unit will cover the length of the street, said City Administrator Joel Walinski. The ones on U.S. Highway 2 will just cover the bike lanes. 

The sensor will be cut into the pavement, Walinski said, similar to sensors on traffic lights, so it will not impact snow plowing. The information collected will be available online. 

“Seems to me this would be valuable information to support some of the parking issues,” said Councilman Elmer Larsen.  

The city expenditure of $3,500 over five years can easily be accounted for in the street fund, said City Finance Director Chantell Steiner. 

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.