NOTE: Due to construction on Broadway, we have paused data collection on the Eco-Totem as of June 30, 2024. When construction is complete we will resume updating this dataset.

The “Eco-Totem” counter (made by the Montreal-based company Eco-Counter) counts cyclists via in-ground loop detectors embedded under the pavement of Broadway near Kendall Square. The device displays on a monitor how many cyclists pass by, and data is transferred in 15 minute increments daily from the device to Cambridge's Open Data Portal. Funding for this project was generously provided by the Helen & William Mazer Foundation.

This bicycle count data is collected as part of the City of Cambridge’s regular citywide bicycle counts. These counts are typically done on weekdays (Tuesday-Thursday) in September, annually between 2002-2006 and every other year since 2008, with an additional count in 2019 due to poor weather in 2018. See also this web app with data visualization tools and more background information on using and interpreting the data.

Traffic data comes from sensors installed at city intersections. These sensors do not take video of traffic, but instead determine by size whether each passing vehicle is a car, truck, bike, van, etc. The table below shows traffic at each intersection in 15-minute increments.

When a sensor is offline or being repaired, some data may be incomplete or missing.

The Water Department manages several "people counter" sensors at Fresh Pond Reservation (FPR). The sensors count visitors on the Perimeter Road, the main trail at FPR that circles Fresh Pond. Counters are also located at popular entrances to FPR. Some of the counters record both cyclists and pedestrians. However, most do not differentiate between user types.

The sensors report user counts in 15-minute intervals. This dataset contains hourly aggregations of the 15-minute data. All counts include people moving in both directions past the sensors. The sensors are made by the company Eco-Counter.

The Water Department’s Watershed Division manages Fresh Pond Reservation (FPR). Our primary goals are to preserve drinking water quality, recreational open spaces, natural green spaces, wildlife habitat, and provide a refuge from hectic urban life.