Traffic surveys

We regularly study traffic patterns across the State road network.

We use the data to find out the volume of traffic traveling through an area, the time it takes to get from one place to another, vehicle turning movements and the number of vehicles passing through sites.

This information helps us find ways to improve road conditions and travel time reliability and make our roads safer.

No personally identifiable information is collected or kept by us in the course of these routine surveys.

We collect data in many ways, including hand counts, vehicle counter tubes on the road surface, and sensors that measure how long it takes to travel between two points.

Every Monday we release the Roadworks Roundup, a list of all planned roadworks that may impact traffic on State roads. If a survey or works to install survey equipment might impact traffic, they are included in the Roundup.

You may have seen our sensors around, or our technicians installing them.

Traffic tubes are usually black and lie across the road. Other sensors are often contained in small boxes attached to traffic lights, or on poles near the side of the road.

If we’re doing a hand count, you may notice a technician with a small clicker at the side of the road.