External Travel Survey

External travel is defined as travel within southeastern Wisconsin, with one or both ends of the trip located outside southeastern Wisconsin. External travel within the Region is estimated to represent about six percent of total travel in the Region. External travel, however, can represent a substantial proportion of travel on certain transportation facilities, including interstate highways near the region boundaries.

At 31 surface street locations on the southeastern Wisconsin boundary, the travel survey will be conducted on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the spring between April 12 and May 19 and in the fall between September 13 and October 27. Signs will be placed at the survey site advising motorists to be prepared to stop. Motorists will be stopped briefly, handed a self-addressed survey form, and requested to complete the form and place it in the mail, or if they wish they can complete the survey online using the website indicated on the form.

At seven freeway and expressway locations on the southeastern Wisconsin boundary the survey will be conducted Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the fall between September 13 and October 27. These freeway and expressway locations include: IH 43 at the Ozaukee/Sheboygan county line, USH 41 at the Washington/Dodge county line, IH 94 at the Wisconsin/Illinois state line, IH 94 at the Waukesha/Jefferson county line, and IH 43 at the Walworth/Rock county line, STH 16 at the Waukesha/Jefferson county line, and STH 57 at the Ozaukee/Sheboygan county line. At these locations, vehicles will not be stopped, but rather the license plate number of vehicles will be recorded. The license plate will be matched to Department of Motor Vehicle registrations in Wisconsin to obtain the name and address of the vehicle owner who will be mailed a survey form requesting that the driver complete the form and place it in the mail, or if they wish they can complete the survey online using the website indicated on the form.

Motorists will be asked to record the origin, destination and purpose of each trip, their home or garaging address, the road used to enter and/or leave the region, the vehicle type, and the number of occupants in the vehicle. This map shows the locations of the surface street and freeway and expressway survey locations.

The travel survey information provided to SEWRPC will be kept completely confidential and will be used for statistical purposes only. By participating in and completing the requested travel survey, residents within the Region will be performing a valuable public service through assisting in the planning of the Region’s future transportation system. The cooperation of the public in the conduct of the survey will be greatly appreciated.
 

Staff Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding the purpose of the travel survey or the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, you may contact Commission staff using the information below: