First Numbers: How Many People Are Using the Route 434 Greenway?
Traffic counts indicate several hundred people a week are walking, jogging and biking along the new Route 434 Greenway.
The two-and-a-half-mile shared-use pathway between Washington Street in Binghamton and Murray Hill Road in Vestal opened in early August.
The Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study has been tracking Greenway use since the construction barricades were removed.
Counters are set up at various points of the route to indicate how many people are using the $25.4 million Greenway on foot and by bike.
There was limited use of the paved path in early August before Binghamton University students returned for the start of fall semester classes.
Overall Greenway use rose significantly as students learned of its availability.
The highest number of users recorded in a single day was 550. That was on September 3 - the day before Labor Day.
BMTS executive director Jennifer Yonkoski said the numbers show "people are definitely using the trail." But she noted the numbers vary. She said it's clear that weather conditions affect usage.
The agency will continue to track the numbers in the coming months to determine whether the use will rise compared to the first few months of operation.
A chart provided by BMTS shows dramatic differences in use so far this month with a high of 340 on October 1 to a low of 57 on October 14.
BMTS has installed 13 bicyclist and pedestrian counters across the Greenway trail system in Broome and Tioga counties.
The long-established Vestal Rail Trail now averages more than 100 bicyclists and 500 pedestrians daily.
Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.