Sample-Based Estimation of Bicycle Miles of Travel (BMT)

This project provides a statistically defensible estimate of bicycle-miles of travel (BMT) for at least a substantial portion of the Twin Cities region and assesses the feasibility of monitoring bicycle volumes using sampling methods similar to those used to monitor motor vehicle traffic. Researchers used an ArcView database of the Twin Cities street system for the initial sampling frame and extended the database by manually adding information about average annual daily traffic volumes and about on- and off-road bicycle facilities. A stratified random sample of roadways links in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Dakota counties was drawn, and during the months of May through June and August through October 1998, the daytime bicycle volume for one day at each sampled site was obtained using time-lapse video. Researchers then used Cochrane's combined estimator to compute an estimate of average daytime BMT for the study area. Findings show that monitoring bicycle miles of travel using methods similar to those employed for vehicle miles of travel is now technically feasible in the Twin Cities region where several permanent counters on bicycle trails provide a rudimentary continuous count element. A video-based approach appears to be more accurate and less demanding of personnel than is on-site manual counting.