Volunteers needed for national trail counts

The City of Vancouver and its partners are seeking volunteers to help count local trail users this month as part of the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project.

Information gathered during the counts will be used to track trends in trail usage, determine the need for infrastructure improvements and gauge the effectiveness of outreach and education about trails.

“Even if you can’t volunteer, we hope you will come walk, bike or roller blade at your favorite locations on these days and be counted,” said Vancouver Parks and Recreation Director Julie Hannon.

This year’s trail counts will occur from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 13 to 15 and from 9 to 11 a.m. on Sept. 17 and 18. A variety of two-hour volunteer shifts are available at many different locations.

To volunteer, sign up for one of two training sessions and RSVP for a trail counting location.

Training sessions will be held from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the Clark County Public Works Operations Center, 4700 N.E. 78th St.; and from 5 to 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, at Vancouver City Hall, 415 W. Sixth St.

One of the counting locations is the Lacamas Trail, at the Northeast Goodwin Road trailhead in Camas. Other sites include Frenchman’s Bar and Vancouver Lake Trail at the Blurock Landing trailhead, Salmon Creek Greenway Trail at the Vancouver Girls Softball Association trailhead, Columbia River Renaissance Trail , Burnt Bridge Creek Trail at the Northeast Devine Road trailhead, Northwest 78th Street at Lakeshore Avenue, Padden Parkway Trail at Northeast 94th Avenue, Columbia Street at 6th Street, 45th Street at Main Street, I-205 bridge pathway, I-5 bridge pathway, 157th Avenue at Mill Plain Boulevard, McGillivray Boulevard at Village Loop, McLoughlin Boulevard at Ft. Vancouver Way and Fourth Plain Boulevard at Grand Avenue.

For more information, call 487-8344.