Over the next month, don't be surprised if someone stops you to ask about your trip.

No, it's not the latest Homeland Security initiative, but rather an attempt by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to find out just where it should be spending money to build more roads or improve transit.

Through Aug. 15, motorists will be stopped at 25 checkpoints throughout the 10-county region, including three rest stops, and asked to complete surveys about where they're coming from, where they're going, the purpose of their trips and how many people are in the vehicle.

It marks the second attempt by the commission to gather the information. State police halted a survey started last summer. A spokesman said at the time the troopers had never agreed to participate. There also were safety concerns about stopping traffic on busy highways where speeds could exceed 65 mph.

Doug Smith, north group manager for traffic consultant Wilbur Smith Associates, which is conducting the survey, said those issues have been resolved. He said the firm has been working with state police and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation throughout the winter and spring to coordinate the effort.

Three of the survey sites will be at interstate highway rest stops -- Interstate 79 North near Lawrence County, I-79 South near Greene County and I-70 in western Washington County.

All 22 others will be on roads throughout the region. The first was set up yesterday on Route 1058 in northern Fayette County, and no problems were reported.

Bigger tests could come today, when motorists will be surveyed on Route 51 in Beaver County and U.S. Route 30 on the eastern border of Westmoreland County.

Mr. Smith said it takes about six seconds to hand out a 10-question survey card to a motorist. If vehicles back up 300 feet, workers stop and let cars go. Mr. Smith said it takes a motorist at the end of a 300-foot line two minutes to get to the front.

"In most cases, it's far less than that because we're not doing heavily congested roads," he said.

The surveys are required every 10 to 20 years as part of Federal Highway Administration rules. The answers will help determine priorities for highway spending, which roads should be improved and where transit should be expanded.

In all, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission hopes to hand out 30,000 surveys. The effort will cost $650,000, including field work and police help.

Given the statistics, chances are small that an individual motorist will be stopped.

"Even if you do get stopped, it's a maximum of two minutes and that's the worst case scenario," he said.