In Spring 2015, a study was conducted to learn how many people use the trail system in Northwest Arkansas. While we knew these trails were popular, we learned that Northwest Arkansas usage is comparable to major bike- and pedestrian-friendly metropolitan areas. Here are some highlights:
- Northwest Arkansas has almost as many cyclists daily per capita using its trail system as San Francisco.
- The Northwest Arkansas region has almost as many pedestrians daily per capita using its trail system as San Diego county and more than Portland.
See a summary of the findings from the study or download a printable map.
To view user counts, hover over a point along the trail, or filter all data by clicking a map option at the top of the map.
About the data
A user count was conducted by Chen Ryan Associates between April and June of 2015. 24-hour continuous infrared pyro counters were used to count pedestrian and bicycle activity combined without distinction of mode, whereas a combination of 24-hour continuous infrared pyro counters and 24-hour continuous pneumatic tubes were used to count bicycle and pedestrian activity (which is calculated by subtracting bicycle counts collected via the pneumatic tubes from all activity collected via the infrared pyro counters). Key criteria used to guide the siting of bicycle and pedestrian count stations across the Northwest Arkansas region included: 1) presence of existing trail facilities (prioritizing the Razorback Regional Greenway and key destinations); 2) achieving a representative sample of locations in relation to population density, employment density, and median household income; and 3) an even geographic distribution of count sites across the 133-mile system. This report has established a baseline of trail usage at specific sites along the NWA system. Progress will be checked against the established baseline bi-annually. Seasonal adjustment factors cannot be calculated at this time due to the lack of seasonal count data.
