About 400 volunteers are needed to help count the number of people who ride bicycles or walk to their destinations during an annual three-day survey, starting Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Volunteer support is vital to the success of this project. In 2014, more than 72,000 bicyclists and pedestrians were counted by volunteers in communities across Washington. Volunteer registration is now open and many locations still have shifts that have not been filled.

For this eighth annual survey, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Cascade Bicycle Club are enlisting volunteers and organizations like FeetFirst, Washington Bikes and Futurewise to help count the number of people bicycling and walking Tuesday, Sept. 29, through Thursday, Oct. 1. Counts will be taken in more than 50 cities throughout the state. The data collected helps WSDOT improve bicycling and walking policies, projects and funding in Washington.

Those interested in helping can learn more online, by emailing Cascade Bicycle Club or by calling 503-805-1064.

WSDOT’s count is part of the National Documentation Project, an annual bicycle and pedestrian count and survey effort sponsored by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council. The count will also help measure WSDOT’s progress toward the goal of reducing the number of vehicle miles driven by increasing bicycling and walking.