Connecticut’s Department of Transportation has launched a major survey to understand how people’s travel habits have changed.
The last survey was done in 2016.
State Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said the way people commute and use public transport has changed since then.
“That’s why we want to have a really large sample base from all corners of the state,” Eucalitto said. “All demographics, to be able to see what people in North Canaan are doing on a daily basis as opposed to someone in Old Saybrook and what someone in Hartford is doing as opposed to someone in Greenwich.
"So, we need to look at a sample size covering every corner of the state, all of our planning regions and you know looking at all the different types of roadways and different transit systems,” he added.
Eucalitto said many of the changes have happened as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re seeing the peak traffic in the morning, and evening is less high of a peak if you will. And it’s a little bit lower and a little bit more spread out," he said.
"So, people are going in a little bit later to work or coming home a little bit earlier from work or there’s less congestion on certain days of the week,” Eucalitto said. “We see on our railroads that Fridays are the lowest of the weekday travel days as we know people are teleworking that day.”
Around 7,500 randomly selected households across the state will receive a survey from now until December. They will be able to complete the survey by phone, online, or through a smartphone app.
The results are expected to be released in spring 2025 and will help the department plan for future transportation systems and infrastructure.
