New York City Open Data hosts a dataset of bicycle counts collected at key locations across the city. The data was originally provided by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Bicycle counts are recorded using automated systems with inductive loops embedded in roadways. These systems capture cyclist volume and direction of travel. Over time, some locations have been equipped with multiple counters.
NYC Open Data notes that “data may have lapses due to transmission issues caused by weather, connection interruptions, equipment malfunctions, vandalism, etc.. “For a more concise overview, the DOT provides aggregated bicycle count reports by bike and year.
NYC Open Data link: https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Transportation/Bicycle-Counts/uczf-rk3c/about_data
Department of transportation link: https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bike-counts.shtml
Missing data
| Location | Years of Data | Data Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prospect Park West | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available from November and December |
| Manhattan Bridge Ped Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Pulaski Bridge | 2017 – 2024 | Data for 2017 is only available for seven months. |
| Staten Island Ferry | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available for ten months. |
| Kent Ave btw North 8th St and North 9th St | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available for 2 months. |
| 8th Ave at 50th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December, and data for 2022 is available for eight months. |
| Broadway at 50th St | 2019 – 2020 | Includes data from 2019 and only three months of data from 2020. |
| Amsterdam Ave at 86th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December. |
| Columbus Ave at 86th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December. |
| Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive | 2012 – 2024 | Data from 2012 is only available for 5 months. |
| Brooklyn Bridge Bike Path Roadway | 2021 – 2024 | Data from 2021 is only available 4 months. |
| Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December |
| Fountain Ave | 2022 – 2024 | Data for 2022 is only available for 5 months. |
| Willis Ave Bikes | 2022 – 2024 | Data for 2022 is only available for December |
| Pelham Pkwy | 2023 – 2024 | 2023 data is only available for November and December |
| Ocean Pkwy at Avenue J | 2023 – 2024 | Only contains 4 months of 2023 data and a full year of 2024 data |
Data Limitations:
The primary challenge in working with the ‘Bicycle Counter Locations’ dataset lies in the inconsistencies of the collected data. Various locations began collecting bicycle count data at different times, and some years are incomplete. These gaps require careful consideration during analysis to avoid drawing false conclusions. Advanced statistical techniques, such as data imputation and temporal interpolation, may help address these gaps and offer accurate trends over time.
See full dashboard here: Bike Study Dashboard
What can we learn from this data?
The bike count data from 2012 to 2024 shows a significant increase in bike usage across key locations in New York City, particularly on major bridges and bike paths. The Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path consistently saw high usage, reaching over 2 million users in 2020 and 2023. Similarly, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path and the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive saw substantial growth, with user counts frequently surpassing 1 million annually, peaking at nearly 2 million on the Queensboro Bridge in 2023. The Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter also showed increasing numbers, with over 1 million users recorded in both 2022 and 2023. These trends reflect a growing reliance on cycling infrastructure across the city, particularly on major bridge connections, as more people turn to bikes for commuting and recreation. The overall bike count reached a grand total of nearly 99 million users by 2024, underscoring the expanding role of cycling in New York City’s transportation network.
The bike count data also reveals that different locations began counting bikes in various years, which creates inconsistencies when comparing trends across all locations. For instance, locations like the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive and the Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path started tracking users as early as 2012, while others, such as 8th Ave at 50th St and Amsterdam Ave at 86th St, only started counting in 2019. This staggered start complicates the analysis of long-term trends, as earlier data is not available for many locations. The absence of data in earlier years for some locations may distort the overall growth picture, especially when comparing locations that have longer histories of counting to those that are relatively new. Additionally, without consistent start times, it’s difficult to assess whether the growth in bike usage at newer locations reflects a genuine trend or simply the introduction of new monitoring infrastructure. As a result, making direct year-over-year comparisons across all locations presents challenges in assessing the complete impact of New York City’s cycling infrastructure improvements over time.
Bike counts for major bridge pathways
The bike count data from 2012 to 2024 shows a significant increase in bike usage across key locations in New York City, particularly on major bridges and bike paths. The Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path consistently saw high usage, reaching over 2 million users in 2020 and 2023. Similarly, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path and the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive saw substantial growth, with user counts frequently surpassing 1 million annually, peaking at nearly 2 million on the Queensboro Bridge in 2023. The Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter also showed increasing numbers, with over 1 million users recorded in both 2022 and 2023. These trends reflect a growing reliance on cycling infrastructure across the city, particularly on major bridge connections, as more people turn to bikes for commuting and recreation. The overall bike count reached a grand total of nearly 99 million users by 2024, underscoring the expanding role of cycling in New York City’s transportation network.
Bike counts at Staten island ferry location (2018 – 2023)
Overview: The graph shows the annual bike counts for the Staten Island Ferry from 2018 to 2023.
Trend: Bike counts increased steadily over the years, starting at approximately 130,000 in 2018 and reaching around 170,000 in 2023.The most significant growth occurred between 2022 and 2023.
Key Insight: The consistent increase in bike counts suggests growing bicycle usage or improved cycling infrastructure near the Staten Island Ferry over time.
Bike count of key Brooklyn locations installed in 2016
Kent Ave btw North 8th St and North 9th St:
Decline in bike counts from 2017 to 2018.
Steady increase from 2018 to 2020, peaking in 2020.
Slight decline after 2020 but remains higher than pre-2019 levels.
Prospect Park West:
Relatively stable from 2017 to 2019.
Sharp increase from 2019 to 2021, peaking in 2021.
Slight decline in 2022 but still higher than pre-2019 levels.
Comparison:
Both locations experienced significant growth in bike counts during the pandemic years (2020–2021).
Both saw a slight decline in 2022, potentially reflecting a return to pre-pandemic commuting patterns.
Key Insight:
Overall, bike usage has increased significantly over the years at both locations, despite slight recent declines.
Data for 2023 was not included, although there was a count for all 12 months, the count was so dramatically lower that it did not seem accurate.
Pulaski Bridge 2018 – 2024
• A bicycle counter was installed on the Pulaski Bridge in 2016.
• The bridge showed consistent growth in bicycle usage from 2018 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2024.
• However, there is a significant spike in growth between 2019 and 2020.
• There doesn’t appear to be any missing data
Bicycle count for 86th street locations (2020 – 2023)
The graph displays annual bike counts from 2020 to 2023 for two locations on 86th Street: Amsterdam Ave and Columbus Ave.
Amsterdam Ave: Bike counts grew consistently from 600,000 in 2020 to 800,000 in 2023, with the sharpest increase between 2022 and 2023.
Columbus Ave: Counts rose steadily from 500,000 in 2020 to 650,000 in 2023 but at a slower pace than Amsterdam Ave.
Comparison: Amsterdam Ave consistently outperformed Columbus Ave, with the gap between the two widening over time.
Key Insight: Both locations show increasing bike usage, with Amsterdam Ave likely being a busier route
Bicycle Count for 50th street Locations
In 2019, two additional bicycle counter locations were installed on 50th Street in Manhattan: one near Broadway and the other near 8th Avenue. The Broadway location seemed to experience data collection issues, with only two months of data available. Similarly, the 8th Avenue location shows significant gaps in data, with counts missing for January, February, March, April, and December for the year 2022. November of 2021 has a value of ‘0’.
