Urban Mobility Study Illustrates Cost of Congestion

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI) annual Urban Mobility Report was released this week. It details the $121 billion in costs Americans incurred in time and fuel from clogged roads in 2011.  Traffic congestion cost each motorist $818 in 2011 – based on wasted gasoline, lost productivity and increased vehicle maintenance costs. The report goes on to show that commuters spent an average of 38 hours sitting in traffic congestion during rush hour in 2011, up from 34 hours the year before.  The report for the first time included the Planning Time Index, a measure of travel reliability, that compares the time an average trip would take in light traffic to the time the same trip would take during rush hour for major metropolitan cities across the country. Washington, D.C. topped the list with a score of 5.72. For example, for a commuter to arrive at their destination on time during rush hour in Washington, D.C., they would multiply the time of the average trip in light traffic by 5.72.  If a trip typically takes 20 minutes in light traffic, it would take over 2 hours during rush hour. TTI also addressed environmental impacts of congestion estimating that 56 billion pounds of additional carbon dioxide were emitted because of traffic congestion in 2011, or 380 pounds per driver. About 2.9 billion gallons of fuel were wasted during that period, which TTI compares to filling the New Orleans Superdome four times (a number which is the same as 2010, but down from 2005's 3.2 billion). Other findings by TTI regarding the effects of congestion include: -          5.5 billion hours of total time wasted due to congestion -          The average commuter spent 38 extra hours traveling in 2011 -          22 percent of the delay cost comes from the effect of congestion on truck operations (not including value for the goods transported in those trucks) According to TTI, the methods and measures developed and used in the Urban Mobility Report have been successfully implemented for policy making and prioritizing congestions-mitigating projects. AGC will continue to use reports such as the Urban Mobility and TRIP Reports in its education of policy makers about the need for a multi-faceted approach to congestion mitigation but one that focus on new construction and added capacity.