Between 2021 and 2024, early data analysis reveals a significant decline in bicycling activity at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a steady upward trend. Preliminary data from the Bicycle Coalition’s annual bike counts, along with trip data provided by Indego, indicate a modest increase in bicycling over the past year.
Bicycle counts on the Schuylkill River Bridges (Spring Garden, JFK, Market, Chestnut Walnut and South) rose from 3,687 in 2024 to 4,054 in 2025, representing a 10% increase. During the same period, e-scooter usage grew from 12% to 14% of total micromobility traffic. Combined ridership reached 4,696 users in 2025, up from 4,187 the previous year—a total growth of 12.2%. The increase in scooter usage, both in terms of percentage and total riders, suggests that more people are choosing scooters as a preferred mode of transportation alongside bikes, reflecting a shift in commuting patterns or a growing trend in micro-mobility options.
During the SEPTA service reduction, the Indego bike-share system played a crucial role in keeping the city moving. From the week before the strike (the week of August 17) to the week service resumed (the week of September 14), Indego ridership increased by 15% (34405 – 39752). September 2025 was the most successful month in Indego’s history, with over 167,000 trips taken. Indego recorded its busiest day ever on September 11 with 6519 trips.
This short-term surge was not an isolated spike; it aligned with Indego’s broader upward trajectory, as ridership rose from 408,409 trips in Q3 2024 to 465,464 trips in Q3 2025.
As we continue to analyze the Bicycle Coalition’s 2025 annual bike count data, we’ll share our findings here. Keep an eye out for an upcoming post, rich with graphics, that will provide a detailed summary of our conclusions.
Each fall, dedicated volunteers and staff devote hundreds of hours to ensure the Bicycle Coalition can accurately collect this data. If you’re interested in understanding the evolution of these counts and the methodology behind them, we invite you to explore the process in our Making of the Bicycle Coalition’s Manual Bike Counts.
Bicycle Coalition Policy Intern Elva Bofang Jiang is the author this article.