AP

Washington was named the nation's number one "Bicycle Friendly State" by the League of American Bicyclists.

OLYMPIA - The Department of Transportation is asking for volunteers to help count the number of people who walk or bike to their destinations.

The DOT, the Cascade Bicycle Club and other organizations will count the numbers of people bicycling and walking on paths, bike lanes, sidewalks and other facilities on Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.

The information will be used to establish benchmarks and track progress toward the state's goal of encouraging people to get out of their cars.

"Just like counting cars and trucks, counting bicyclists and pedestrians at specific locations will help us more accurately measure demand, benefits of existing paths and trails and help us identify new needs," said Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond.

While Cascade Bicycle Club is using their network of members to perform the counts in selected cities (Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Everett, Kent, Kirkland, Longview, Olympia, Richland, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima), people who would like to help are encouraged to participate with counts in their own communities.

To get involved contact Cascade Bicycle Club via email at organizer@cascadebicycleclub.org or call them at 206-957-0689.