5 Surprising Benefits of Display Counters for your City

Published Sep 23, 2024

1. Boosting Community Engagement There’s something special about being a part of something bigger than yourself. A display counter is a way to show a city, community, or neighborhood that they’re in it together when it comes to walking or cycling.

Benefit: Pedestrian and bicycle counters can become a focal point for community interaction and pride.  .

 

Left Example: In Dublin, Ireland, a display counter was used during the international cycling summit, Velo-city. This showed conference attendees and local cyclists the impact they were having together on cycling numbers in the city.

Right Example: In Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a display counter was installed on a busy cycling path. On it, a rising bar filled as cyclists were counted throughout the year. This gave an impression of everyone contributing to get the top and fill the bar.

2. Encouraging Healthier Lifestyles and Improving Safety

It’s easy to forget the incredible health benefits of consistent walking and cycling. A display counter can remind and encourage people to adopt these healthy habits by showing the popularity of walking and biking in their community. Along similar lines, display counters can also jog the memories of pedestrians and cyclists to be alert and safe on roads.

Benefit: Display counters can inspire people to adopt healthier modes of transportation. They can also highlight good practices to ensure the safety of all users on a path or crossing. .

Left example: In Greenville, South Carolina, a multi-user counter is strategically placed near a popular walking/biking path. Seeing the high number of pedestrians and cyclists passing by can motivate locals to grab their running shoes and bikes to join the movement, promoting a healthier lifestyle while enjoying the city’s beautiful green spaces.

Right example: In Arlington, Virginia, a display counter reminds passersby to be a PAL: predictable, alert, and lawful.

3. Promoting Local Government Action

When it comes to building active transportation infrastructure, pushbacks are common. Many might doubt the value of pedestrian or bike lanes instead of roads for motor vehicles. With a display counter, you can help justify your investments with a real-time look at the results of your efforts.

Benefit: Display counters can help publicize government initiatives by highlighting pedestrian and bike volumes on dedicated facilities. .

 

Left Example: In Long Beach, California, a multi-modal counter was installed on the beach. In this high-traffic area, residents can see the municipal logo. This hopefully will spark conversations about the city’s commitment to active transportation.

Right Example: In Travelers Rest, South Carolina, a beautifully designed display counter is placed near a popular multi-use path. With the city’s logo front and center, citizens know that their government is investing in active transportation.

4. Providing Key Messages to Citizens

In today’s age of communication, people have messages thrown at them from multiple sources every minute of every day. Yet, some messages stand out more than others. A message on a display counter is a way to communicate with your citizens in a non-intrusive but attention-grabbing way.

Benefit: Because of their standout nature, display counters are excellent for communicating information to the general public.

 

Left Example: In Austin, Texas, a pedestrian and bike counter displays time, date, and a custom message for citizens.

Right Example: In Izmir, Turkey,  a multi-use display counter shares temperature, date, and a message for passersby.

5. Creating an Attractive Urban Landscape

At their core, display counters are pieces of street art. A well-designed display counter can liven up a cityscape and create newfound pride for locals in the community. 

Benefit: Display counters can give your city a stronger brand and an attractive visual consistency.

Both Examples: In Montreal, Quebec, two displays of different sizes decorate the streets to give the city a distinctive look. Placed in different areas, the red and black design of both counters create consistency in the city’s urban design.

Conclusion 

Pedestrian and bicycle display counters are far more than just data collection tools—they’re dynamic street decorations that offer multiple benefits. From boosting community engagement and encouraging healthier lifestyles to communicating government initiatives, delivering messages, and improving urban design, these counters play a crucial role in shaping vibrant, efficient, and engaging cities. By embracing these counting solutions, cities can pave the way for happier more communal environments for their citizens.

If you’re interested in Eco-Counter’s display counters, read more about them here:

Also check out our Eco-DISPLAY World Map!

Subscribe to our blog

Product suggestion

The CITIX-AI Evo lets you count a wide range of modes in areas with mixed traffic

CITIX-AI Evo

Artificial intelligence traffic monitoring solution for dense and multi-modal environments.

Ce produit sera supprimé de votre liste d’intérêts. Souhaitez-vous continuer ?
Annuler Enlever de ma liste
Fait ! Cette solution est à présent dans votre liste d’intérêts
Retour Voir ma liste
The PYRO Nano is our most compact natural environment visitor counter.

PYRO Nano

Small, waterproof, and discreet people outdoor counter that is easy to install. Ideal for counting visitors to your park or natural area.

Ce produit sera supprimé de votre liste d’intérêts. Souhaitez-vous continuer ?
Annuler Enlever de ma liste
Fait ! Cette solution est à présent dans votre liste d’intérêts
Retour Voir ma liste
MULTI Evo is the ideal solution for counting and classifying users in natural environments.

MULTI Evo Nature

A pedestrian, cyclist, and scooter counter designed for the outdoor environment.

Ce produit sera supprimé de votre liste d’intérêts. Souhaitez-vous continuer ?
Annuler Enlever de ma liste
Fait ! Cette solution est à présent dans votre liste d’intérêts
Retour Voir ma liste

More to read:

Welcome to our new website!
Published on Apr 23, 2025

Welcome to our new website!

Our Key Takeaways from 2024!
Published on Jan 7, 2025

Our Key Takeaways from 2024!

Mitigating overtourism in Stołowe Mountains National Park (Poland)
Published on Dec 17, 2024

Mitigating overtourism in Stołowe Mountains National Park (Poland)