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The 2007 Annual Congestion Report is a special excerpt from the September 30, 2007 edition of the Gray Notebook. |
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Many of the Congestion Performance Measures are highlighted and explained in the measuring congestion summary folio (pdf,2.2 mb) |
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Each of the commutes featured in the Annual Congestion Report have their own webpage with historic and current performance information viewable here. |
New Jobs, More People, More Trips, More Congestion: Washington’s Economy and Population Continues to Thrive
As Washington’s robust economy continues to grow, so does congestion. More people want to travel on the same roads at the same time. Between 2004 and 2006, the central Puget Sound population and economy continued to flourish. In 2007, Forbes Magazine ranked Washington state as the 5th best state for business. Between 2004 and 2006, the Puget Sound’s transportation system had to absorb 107,000 new residents and 91,000 new jobs.
2007 Report Analyzes the Most Congested Commute Routes
The annual congestion report compares 2004 and 2006 calendar year for the most congested routes in the Puget Sound region. WSDOT archives real-time data for 51 commute routes in the Puget Sound region. This data is collected from over 5,000 loop detectors embedded in the pavement of the 709 center lane miles. For this report, data is analyzed to measure highway congestion on the 38 most congested commute routes and, as such, represents the worst case scenarios. It is not representative of the entire highway system.
The following reports contained in the annual Congestion Report's detailed congestion analysis shows where and how much congestion occurs. Commuters are traveling at slower speeds and spending longer periods of time stuck in traffic during morning and evening commutes.
Commute Times have increased on Many of the Most Congested Routes
- The average commute time during peak congestion increased on 32 (84%) of the 38 commute routes tracked, from a 1 minute to a 7 minute increase (see pp. 61-69)
- Thirty three (87%) of the routes show a decrease in reliability as the 95% reliable travel time increased, from 1 minute to 10 minute increase (see pp. 61-69)
- Congested periods (duration of peak period) last longer on 34 (89%) of the commute routes, from 5 minute to 1 hour and 35 minute increase (see pp. 61-69)
- Compared to maximum throughput speeds, commuters experienced an average of over 3 million additional hours of delay (18% increase from 2004 to 2006) (see pp. 73-74)
WSDOT Uses Balanced Strategies to Maximize Highway Throughput and Enhance Reliability
Congestion impacts everyone. It can affect how safely we travel; how well we can predict how long it will take to get to work, to day care, to the airport; and how much of our time is taken traveling to those places. WSDOT deploys effective strategies to lessen the duration of congestion, making trips more reliable and safe and improving overall traffic flow. The following table illustrates these strategies and the opportunities to provide more of these solutions if funding is available. In this annual congestion update, the Highway Systems Plan, and in many other publications and presentations, WSDOT emphasizes its key congestion management objectives: maximize system throughput and enhance reliability.
