Submitted by Thurston Regional Planning Council
How should Thurston County and neighboring regions invest in roads, transit options, bike lanes, and other transportation improvements in the coming years? This fall, Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) will be conducting a travel study to help answer that question.
Beginning the first week of September and ending in November, thousands of residents throughout the South Sound region will have the opportunity to participate in an important travel study sponsored by TRPC and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The South Sound Travel Study will help transportation agencies better understand the travel habits of residents throughout Thurston County and parts of Pierce County. The information collected in this study is vital for planning and prioritizing improvements to the transportation system.
An accurate and up-to-date picture of regional travel patterns in the area will help planning officials at TRPC, WSDOT, Intercity Transit and other local and regional agencies evaluate and prioritize different transportation projects, including highway improvements, expanded bus service, bike and walk improvements, and other projects. “Planning for the region’s transportation system requires data about local travel patterns,” said Lon Wyrick, TRPC Executive Director. “The South Sound Travel Study provides important information that will guide infrastructure and service investments for years to come.”
TRPC will use the survey results to evaluate current travel patterns of the resident population, identify local transportation trends, and help develop models to estimate future travel behavior for this region. For example, these survey data will allow TRPC and WSDOT to understand how local household characteristics impact daily travel patterns and how travel patterns of households in rural or south county communities differ from those in the north metro area. It will also help planners understand differences in the travel characteristics of military households compared to non-military households.
Resource Systems Group, Inc. (RSG) and ETC Institute, independent research firms, are administering the survey on behalf of TRPC and WSDOT. A random sample of the region’s households will be invited to participate in the survey. Households are receiving invitations by first-class mail and have the option of completing the questionnaire via an advance web-based survey instrument or via telephone. All individual and household information collected in this study will remain strictly confidential. Planners will use aggregated data for analysis and modeling purposes.
For more information on the South Sound Travel Study:
– Study e-mail address: help@southsoundtravel.org
– Phone number: 1-800-401-9786
– Study website: https://southsoundtravel.org
– TRPC project contact: Thera Black (email) blackvt@trpc.org (Phone) 360.956.7575
