2018/2019 IMTC Passenger Vehicle Survey

Project status: Completed

IMTC participants have identified the need to periodically evaluate trip details of passenger vehicle travelers crossing at the Cascade Gateway ports-of-entry. These surveys help inform regional investment strategies, and provide insight into travel trends.

This study conducted surveys of cross-border passenger vehicles at four land ports-of-entry between Western Washington State and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia – commonly referred to as the Cascade Gateway. The project was advanced by the International Mobility and Trade Corridor Program (IMTC) and is the fourth such survey undertaken by this regional cross-border planning coalition. Surveys have been conducted roughly every five years, in 2000, in 2007/2008, and 2013/2014.

Location

Interviews were conducted both directions at the four primary land ports-of-entry between the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and Whatcom County, Washington (Peace Arch/Douglas, Pacific Highway, Lynden/Aldergrove, and Sumas/Abbotsford-Huntingdon ports).

Why this project was needed

The main objective of the survey was to update regional travel characteristics with current trip purpose, origin-destination, and other traveler information, and to compare these data with results from previous years.

In addition to these general purposes the 2018/2019 survey also collected information relating to the efficacy of border wait time signage and the use of GPS and app/website data for routing decisions by travelers. A survey of bus passengers was also conducted.

Results

The project comprised of two seasons of surveying, summer and winter, completed in July 2018 and February 2019, respectively, to compare winter traffic patterns with those of summer patterns. A full report is available, as are the individual sections of the report. A database of survey results is also available upon request. And a dashboard of survey results may be found here.

Project funding

The cost of the project was $138,300 (USD). Funding was provided by the agencies listed below. Critical permissions, cooperative facilitation, and baseline traffic data were provided by U.S. Customs & Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency.

• U.S. Federal Highway Administration

• B.C. Ministry of Transportation

• Transport Canada

• Border Policy Research Institute

• Whatcom Council of Governments

For more information

Contact Jaymes McClain, Senior Planner, Whatcom Council of Governments by email or phone (360-685-8381).