LADOT releases first city-run count of people walking and biking in L.A.

Data from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s (LADOT) inaugural study counting the number of people biking and walking has been published.

The count, which took place over several weekends in 2019, reveals trends in active transportation while observing the demographics of Angelenos traveling through the city. Observations show a significant increase in the number of people walking and biking in locations where LADOT has made safety and complete street improvements.

“What gets measured matters,” said LADOT General Manager Seleta Reynolds. “Thanks to this report, LADOT gained valuable insights into how people move through Los Angeles neighborhoods so that our investments can deliver the most effective improvements for people walking and biking.”

This report examines how transportation investments can create streets that feel safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities. Information gathered during the count will be used to guide future pedestrian and bike infrastructure projects throughout the city. The data provided in the report serves the following purposes:

• Identify locations for future bicycle and pedestrian improvements.
• Understand how travel trends and behaviors vary across geographic areas and street typologies.
• Track usage before and after transportation projects and programs are implemented.

LADOT’s Walk & Bike Count was one of the first large scale tests of SCAG’s recently launched Active Transportation Database, which provides ways for agencies to collect and store data for public use. Data from the report will also be available on city websites such as NavigateLA and at Los Angeles Open Data.

The data are based on observations of 63 intersections and helps LADOT better understand traveler attributes as the department focuses on creating livable and sustainable streets that offer multiple modes of transit options to get around the city.

Some significant observations include:

• The count recorded that while women make up only 16 percent of people biking, there was a 120 percent increase in female riders on streets with bike paths compared to streets with no bike facilities.
• The count showed 73 percent increase in ridership on Figueroa Street in DTLA since the installation of the MyFigueroa streetscape project, compared to counts that took place in 2017.
• A 22 percent increase in biking citywide from comparable data in 2017.
• Forty percent of people walking are female. This increases to 44 percent female walkers on weekends.

LADOT will perform biennial counts in the fall of every odd year consistent with the former Bike + Ped Count organized by LACBC. The next LADOT Walk & Bike Count is scheduled for Fall 2021 and is expected to increase to 100 locations throughout the city.

Read the full report on the LADOT website.