A new bike counter has been installed at Portland’s Hawthorne Bridge. As of mid-morning Wednesday, the device had already tallied more than 2000 cyclists.

Amanda Peacher / OPBA new digital bike counter counts cyclists crossing Portland’s Hawthorne Bridge.

The new electronic counter shows the number of bikers crossing the bridge, in real time, on a digital display.

Jonathan Nicholas, a board member of Cycle Oregon, says, “We’re already noticing this morning everyone that goes by has a smile on their face as they go by — it just sort of makes you feel good. It gives you that indicator that you’re doing something good for yourself and good for your city and just seeing those numbers go up ‘tick-tick tick’ makes you feel good.”

Cycle Oregon donated the $20,000 bike counter. The City of Portland paid about $5,000 to install it. The city calls the counter the first of its kind in the U.S.

The City wants more people to bicycle, as a way to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

Dan Anderson with the city Bureau of Transportation says he’d love to see counters on every bridge in Portland. But, that would require more willing funders to pony up the money.

This story originally appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting.