Roadside travel surveys will be carried out on key state highway corridors around the Western Bay of Plenty next week.
On Tuesday 16 March, the roadside surveys, key to updating the traffic model used for transport projects across the sub-region, will be undertaken at five locations to canvas people travelling into Tauranga:
- SH33, Paengaroa
- SH2, Pongakawa, Pongakawa Service Centre
- SH36, The Lakes, Takitimu Drive near SH36/Kennedy Road roundabout
- SH29, Tauriko
- SH2, Te Puna, near Clarke Road
“Roadside surveys give us information we can’t get elsewhere, like people’s reasons for travelling and number of people in the vehicle,” says Brendan Bisley, Director of Transport, Tauranga City Council.
Vehicles selected randomly for the survey will be directed to a safe area on the roadside. The survey is designed to take around a minute. Drivers will be asked a series of short questions about their journey, destination, and number of occupants.
Traffic management will be set up at each site, with temporary speed limits in place.
“The survey is voluntary, anonymous and critical to updating the existing transport model which is used to predict current and future travel demands in Tauranga and the Western Bay.
“It is a tried and tested survey method to understand people’s travel behaviour,” says Brendan.
Minor delays are expected on the days the surveys are carried out. If queues do develop, fewer people will be surveyed.
The survey is being undertaken on behalf of Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.