Nationally and locally, city officials are recognizing that cycling is good for our communities and businesses . So that we can make informed decisions about the best ways to prevent cycling injuries and see if what we are doing works, we need to have accurate data on cycling injuries . But there's a simple question that is difficult to answer: How (and why) should we measure the number of people who bicycle in Santa Barbara?
Measuring the number of cyclists is essential to transportation planners’ case for increasing and allocating funding to improve cycling infrastructure in the city. For the city and county of Santa Barbara, only one scientifically valid measure is currently available: the American Community Survey (ACS).
This survey is part of the U.S. Census but is conducted every year. Responding is mandatory, and the survey is carefully designed to reflect the makeup of the community. The only question on cycling is “means of transportation to work” and asks people 16 years of age and older who work full or part time: “How did you usually get to work last week? If the respondent usually used more than one method of transportation during the trip, the mode used for most of the distance.” "Bicycle" is selected if it is used for the longest distance. For all the details, check out the report, Modes Less Traveled: Bicycling and Walking to Work in the United States .