Originally Posted by
tjspiel
I'll be sure to ride past it a couple of times and let you know how much the counter goes up.
That is a problem with this. You can only estimate based on the average trip distance of a typical cyclist in the area. The sensor only knows that somebody went by it. It won't know how long they were riding. Gas savings really only apply if the trip is one they would have otherwise taken by car. The sensor won't know that either.
OK, I have some more information now. The sensor chosen is not triggered by heat. It's pneumatic.
Savings calculations are based on 2.3 miles per trip which is the average for the Twin Cities. A study done by the University of Wisconsin was used to calculate the financial savings to society. They published a big report last fall showing the significantly reduced health care costs that would result from people using a bike for half of all short trips instead of a car for 6 months out of the year. For Midwestern cities, it amounted to billions of dollars.
For people in the Twin Cities, it's about $10 a trip.
This is what will be projected on a building at dusk at a new location each day starting on the 2nd of June:
For those in the area, the first location will be the Mill City Museum on West River Road.
#BicyclingCounts