Today's story in The Record about the new bicycle counter on King Street in Waterloo could be just the beginning of cycling infrastructure data collection in the region.
One has to look no further than this article in the European Cyclists' Federation newsletter, which discusses the first year of a cycling congestion alert system in Copenhagen.
Yes, my two-wheeler friends, cycling congestion is a thing. It was a thing back in 2011, when this article appeared in The Guardian newspaper, about how the explosion of Copenhagen cyclists, both tourists/visitors and cycle-enthusiastic residents, was threatening to overwhelm that city's widely lauded cycling infrastructure.
The North American response to traffic congestion is pretty much always to build more lanes for cars, and we know how well that has worked out. The Danes, wisely, looked for other options, and last year, tested an electronic updating system that provides real-time bicycle traffic updates, alerting commuting cyclists (and other riders) to upcoming cycle congestion and suggesting alternate routes.
The ECF article concludes that cyclists want the same kind of infrastructure commitment that motorists get. As planners on this side of the Atlantic absorb this, expect to see more cycling information signs on your favourite routes.