Louisiana – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) has begun installing temporary traffic count devices on various local roadways across the state as part of an ongoing effort to monitor and improve Louisiana’s transportation infrastructure.
According to DOTD, the data collection initiative is currently underway in several parishes, including Caddo, Sabine, St. John, St. Martin, and Red River. The devices are used to gather critical information about traffic volumes, vehicle types, and overall roadway usage.
The department explained that while traffic monitoring is a long-standing practice, some of the current locations being surveyed have not been analyzed in more than two decades. Officials say this fresh data will help inform future transportation planning, infrastructure upgrades, and maintenance priorities.
The devices are small, non-invasive, and typically positioned near street signs or within roadway rights-of-way. DOTD emphasized that the equipment does not pose any risk to the public or passing vehicles and asked residents not to tamper with the counters to ensure the accuracy of the data collected.
This initiative is part of DOTD’s annual traffic monitoring program, which contributes to the Federal Highway Administration’s Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). The information collected will be used to calculate vehicle miles traveled, determine highway classifications, establish design standards for future projects, and assess the level of service provided on Louisiana roads.
DOTD expressed its appreciation to the public for their cooperation and support as the department continues its mission to improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of the state’s transportation network.