Overview

The Traffic Data Collection & Analysis (TDCA) section is responsible for collecting traffic data on approximately 6,000 active short-term traffic count sites statewide. These counts, also known as coverage counts, make up the bulk of the Department's traffic count program. The continuous count program currently has a total of 101 continuous count station (CCS) sites, fifty-nine Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) sites and forty-two Weigh In Motion (WIM) sites throughout the state of Montana collecting traffic data on a daily basis. In addition to providing volume information, a significant number of CCS sites provide information such as vehicle length, classification, truck weight data and unbiased speed data.

The primary purpose of CCS sites is to obtain information for:

  1. Seasonally adjusting short term counts to estimate Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT);
  2. Providing generalized peak and design hour factors for highway geometric design;
  3. Monitoring monthly and annual traffic trends;
  4. Providing long term growth factors.

If you have questions or concerns, of if you are planning or currently working on a project that might potentially impact a CCS site, please contact Tedd Little at 406-444-9417 or by email.