Volunteers Needed in Late May to Help Count Columbia's Pathway Users

Columbia Association (CA) is seeking enthusiastic volunteers to to help count the number of pedestrians, bicyclists and other users on CA’s pathways in late May.

The purpose of this effort is similar to that of an automobile traffic count. Gauging pathway usage will show which areas of CA’s pathway network are the most popular and/or congested. In turn, knowing how certain sections of pathways are used will help CA staff to determine what improvements could be made to make the experience of those on CA’s pathways even more enjoyable — and whether past improvements have had an impact.

Volunteering will only take two hours of commitment, yet that brief amount of time will help improve the 94-mile pathway system that is part of what makes Columbia so special. CA is seeking volunteers for the following locations: Columbia Gateway, Downtown Columbia, Jackson Pond, Lake Elkhorn, Lake Kittamaqundi, the southern terminus of Tamar Drive, and Wilde Lake Park.

The Columbia Gateway pathway counts will document lunchtime use. Volunteers can help from:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26
• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27
• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28

In the six other locations, volunteers can help on:

• Saturday, May 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 26, from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 27, from 5 to 7 p.m
• Thursday, May 28, from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Anyone interested in volunteering can fill out a registration form at http://bit.ly/pathwaycount2015. CA staff will be in touch with potential volunteers to confirm time slots and to provide more information on the counting process. An optional training session will be offered on Thursday, May 21. For more information, please contact CA Community Planner Scott Templin at Planning@ColumbiaAssociation.org or by calling 410-715-3166.

This pathway count will build on CA’s “Connecting Columbia” Active Transportation Action Agenda, which seeks to provide a more connected Columbia for pedestrians and bicyclists, improving the quality of life in Columbia. For more information on the Active Transportation Action Agenda, go to ColumbiaAssociation.org/ConnectingColumbia.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit service corporation that manages Columbia, MD, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.