Volunteers needed for League of Illinois Bicyclists' Bike-to-Metra Count

The League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB) is seeking volunteers to help count bikes parked at suburban Metra stations.

This project continues the once-every-five-year data collection effort to track the growth in the number of people using bikes as part of their Metra commute–from roughly 1,000 people in 1998 up to 2,000 people in 2003 and up to 3,000 people in 2008. 

As the only bike count in most of these towns, it helps with planning and advocacy, such as identifying bike network and parking needs.

Are you willing to adopt a Metra line, or section of a line, to do bike parking counts on Tuesday, Sept. 10? Wednesday, Sept. 11 is the back up day. The counts will need to be completed between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The list of different Metra lines are below, followed by possible ways to divide them up, if needed. Although the preference is for people to take an entire line, do not hesitate to indicate whatever you can do.

Further instructions will be emailed to those who indicate they can volunteer. Please email LIB program manager Gin Kilgore at gin@bikelib.org your availability, including the Metra lines that you could do.

 Thanks for your consideration and ongoing support of cycling in Illinois!

 Union Pacific North (UP-N)

• Clybourn-Ravinia

• Highland Park-Kenosha (If needed, we can explore getting a volunteer to just do the Kenosha and maybe also Zion stations.)

Milwaukee District North (MD-N)

• Western-Deerfield

• Lake Forest-Fox Lake

North Central Service (NCS)

• Western-Wheeling

• Buffalo Grove-Antioch

Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW)

• Clybourn-Palatine

• Barrington-Harvard, including spur to McHenry (If needed, we can explore getting a volunteer to do the Harvard and/or McHenry stations.)

Milwaukee District West (MD-W)

• Western-Mannheim

• Bensenville-Big Timber

Heritage Corridor (HC)

• Summit-Joliet (This one is tricky because there is no reverse commute, and only three morning and evening runs.)

Rock Island District (RI)

• 35^th-Blue Island (If needed, we can explore getting a volunteer to just do the 35^th Street station.)

• Robbins-Joliet

Metra Electric District (ME)

• Van Buren-93^rd (South Chicago section)

• 75^th/Grand Crossing-Blue Island (western spur)

• Riverdale-University Park