How many cyclists are out on Port Alberni streets each day?
That’s something that Cycle Alberni and the City of Port Alberni are looking to find out via a series of bike counts at the beginning of April.
“Bike counts are important in order to have an understanding of what the current usage is of bikes on our roads and see if we can see any patterns of where cyclists like to ride,” said Cycle Alberni’s Sarah Thomas.
The cycling organization was formed in 2015 in order to lobby for improved cycling infrastructure within the city and helped host Bike to Work week that year. Preparations for this year’s event are underway.
The city’s draft budget for 2016 currently includes $50,000 for cycling lanes and another $10,000 for an implementation study. An application for Bike BC grant will be submitted later this spring.
According to Thomas, if the city does install cycling infrastructure, having counts done beforehand will allow for comparisons later.
“It’s also good as a benchmark for if we do get some cycling infrastructure so that after the fact we can see what’s the cycling usage now and how has that changed or not from before the infrastructure is in place,” said Thomas.
Bike counts will take place throughout the day on Saturday, April 2 and Wednesday, April 6.
Those interested in volunteering can fill out a form by going to www.surveymonkey.com/r/7L7RSHC.
An information meeting for prospective volunteers will take place on Wednesday, March 30 at 6 p.m. at the Huu-ay-aht First Nations Pawaats office at 4665 Elizabeth St. Everyone is welcome.
For more information call Sarah Thomas at 778-679-2303 or e-mail stinbc@gmail.com.
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