Hexagon Counts aggregates trips into uniform hexagonal cells, allowing you to analyze activity volumes independent of mapped street or trail segments. You can export this data directly from the Hexagon Counts map view for use in GIS or other analysis tools.
Accessing Hexagon Counts Exports
To download Hexagon Counts data, first navigate to the Map tab in Metroview and select Hexagons under Counts in the Map Views panel.
If needed, zoom in to load hexagons. You can either click the “Zoom in to load hexagons” button or manually zoom into your area and click “Refresh hexagons in this area.” Once hexagons are loaded and visible, the Download Hexagon Data button will become available from the panel on the right-side of the screen.
The hexagons loaded to the map extent are the same hexagons that are included in your export and reflect:
- The current map extent (what is visible on the screen)
- The filters selected on the left-hand side of the screen
Available filters include:
- Time period (month/year or full year)
- Trip purpose (All, Commute, Leisure)
- Time of day (All, Morning, Midday, Evening, Overnight)
- Days of week (All, Weekday, Weekend)
After confirming your filters and zoom level, click “Download hexagon data”.
An export panel will appear, the file name description text, will reflect your selected filters. After acknowledging the Terms of Use checkbox, click Save to Data to start the export process.
You can monitor the status of your export from the Data page. When processing is complete, an orange Download button will appear there.
Working with Hexagon Counts Exports
Hexagon counts exports include:
- A CSV file containing aggregated activity counts
- A shapefile (.shp) containing the hexagon grid geometry
For definitions of the fields included in the CSV, please refer to the Glossary and Data Dictionary.
Hexagon counts uses the H3 grid system at resolution 11. Each hexagon at resolution 11 covers approximately 2,300 square meters (about 0.57 acres).
The filters you apply in Metroview (time period, trip purpose, time of day, and days of week) determine what data is included in your export. Columns associated with filters that were not selected will display as 0 in the CSV. For example, if you export Commute trips only, the trip_purpose_leisure field will contain 0 values.
All exported data reflects the selected filters and adheres to Strava Metro’s privacy and aggregation standards.
Map Extent
Hexagon exports are limited to the hexagons currently visible within your map view. If you need data for a different area:
- Pan or zoom the map to the desired location
- Click “Refresh hexagons in this area”
- Repeat the Download Hexagon Data process
Each export request captures only the hexagons loaded within your current map extent at the time of download.
Large Export Limits
Hexagon exports count toward your organization’s limit on large exports running at the same time. If you reach this limit, you need to wait for an existing export to finish processing before starting another. For more information, see the Large Area Exports article.