Visitors to some area businesses may soon be asked to participate in a brief travel survey being conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
Over the next few months, TxDOT sponsored surveyors will be stationed at some area businesses to ask visitors to answer a few questions about their travel to the location. TxDOT would like to encourage all who are asked to participate in the survey, but emphasizes that participation is totally voluntary.

The Texas Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the San Angelo Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), will be conducting the survey to obtain information about the amount of traffic going to and from different types of businesses. The purpose of this Workplace travel survey is to help local and state officials in deciding:

  • where new roads and transit service should be planned;
  • what existing roads and transit routes should be improved; and,
  • which roadway projects being considered over the next few years will be of greatest benefit to the residents of San Angelo and the surrounding area.

TxDOT and the MPO plan for transportation improvement projects every year.  Therefore, TxDOT and the MPO are developing a computer model of major roadways in San Angelo and the surrounding area to help in planning and prioritizing area transportation projects. The model will evaluate future traffic conditions based on factors such as traffic generated by residents and businesses within the area and traffic coming from outside. The survey will collect information on the amount of traffic going to and from local businesses that is needed as input into the model.

The workplace survey is the last of three surveys in the comprehensive project being conducted by TxDOT to study traffic amounts and patterns in the area. Other surveys include a household survey, and a commercial vehicle survey.

Area businesses will be randomly contacted by phone and be invited to take part in the survey.  The Weighted Systematic Sampling Procedure will be used to select a business. All area businesses have an equal chance in being selected.  TxDOT would like to encourage all employers who are called to participate, but again emphasizes that participation is totally voluntary. TxDOT says employers may find the survey informative and useful.

The travel surveys are part of an ongoing effort by TxDOT to collect and analyze travel data from communities across the State. Similar studies have been conducted in Austin, Lubbock, Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley and numerous other cities around the State.

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