Privacy notice

Wisconsin has an "Open Records Law" that allows any member of the public to inspect most records maintained by the state. Both Wisconsin and federal laws identify select records that are confidential or that may be disclosed only for limited purposes. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Access to Records form

During your visit to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Internet site, information that cannot be directly linked to individuals is automatically collected and stored. This information is used to improve our web services but is open to inspection under the public records law. For more detail on our privacy policy, please see the expanded statement below.

Use of collected information

If you do nothing during your visit to the WisDOT Internet site but browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

The Internet Protocol address and domain name used but not the email address. The Internet Protocol address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet service provider or directly to your computer. The Internet Protocol Address is always required when your computer communicates with any site.
The type of browser and operating system you used
The date and time you visited this site
The webpages or services you accessed at this site
The website you visited prior to coming to this website

We use the information we automatically collect or store to improve the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. WisDOT analyzes our website logs to continually improve the value of the materials available on our site. Our website logs do not contain information identifying individuals, and the Department of Transportation does not generally make attempts to link them with individuals. However, in the event of an attempt to compromise our web server or this system, we may provide Internet Protocol address(es) or other information requested to state officials, to law enforcement authorities, or to Internet Service Providers.

If during your visit to the WisDOT Internet site you participate in a survey or send an email, the following additional information will be collected:

Email correspondence: The email address and contents of the email
Surveys: Any information you volunteered in response to a survey

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video and graphic information formats you send us. The information is retained in accordance with applicable laws and administrative rules.

If you communicate to us via email or if you provide your email address to us, we may use your email address to respond to you, in internal communications, to address issues you identify, to further improve our website, or to forward the email to another agency for appropriate action. Both the email message and your email address may become public records open to inspection by any member of the general public.

Survey information is used for the purpose designated.

Personal information and choice

"Personal information" is information about an individual that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes personal identifiers such as an individual's name, address, and phone number. A domain name or Internet Protocol address is not considered personal information.

We do not collect personal information about you while using our general Internet website at wisconsindot.gov. But if you use secured portions of our site or voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for information (i.e., sending an email or participating in a survey), such information may be required and retained. If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the WisDOT Internet site.

If personal information is requested on the website or volunteered by the user, state law may protect it. However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.

Users are cautioned that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children online or by email will be treated the same as information given by an adult and may be subject to public access.

Public disclosure

In the State of Wisconsin, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records that serve various needs: the privacy of individuals is included among these exceptions. Exceptions are provided by both state and federal laws.

We strive to protect personally identifiable information by collecting only information necessary to deliver our services. All information collected at this site becomes public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists.

In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Notice and the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other applicable law will control.

Cookies

WisDOT Internet site practices regarding cookies. WisDOT's Internet site uses session cookies. The information on these cookies will be retained only while your session is active.

Security

WisDOT has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation and day-to-day practices of the entire WisDOT operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management.

Secure websites have a URL that starts with https://, the "s" denoting that the site is secure. Transactions on WisDOT's secure sites and on the state Department of Administration's secure sites are protected by 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. The SSL protocol permits the encryption of data exchanged with WisDOT so it cannot be read by an unauthorized user. When you come to a page that has the https:// prefix, you can check the X.509 security certificate by double-clicking on the locked padlock icon at the bottom of the browser window. While the main WisDOT website does not use SSL, all web pages that require the entering of information into computer applications at WisDOT do use SSL.

This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice. This information should not be construed as warranting as fail-proof the security of information provided through WisDOT supported websites.

This system is for authorized use only. Actual or attempted unauthorized access to this system or to any data on this system is a violation of criminal statute s. 943.70, Wis. Stats., and is punishable by fines up to $27,500 and/or imprisonment for up to 14 years and 6 months. Unauthorized access or attempts will be prosecuted.

External links

The WisDOT Internet site has links to other websites. These include links to websites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the WisDOT Internet site and this Privacy Notice will not apply. When you link to another website, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site.

How to contact us

To offer comments about the WisDOT Internet site, or to comment about the information presented in this Privacy Notice, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at opa.exec@dot.wi.gov.