Disclaimer:
This Web page shows one piece of the data used for the update to the Washington Transportation Plan 2007 - 2026, adopted in November of 2006. The data and forecast were updated in February 2008 and do not reflect the recent rising cost of fuel.
The methodology for the original forecast included an assumption that the number of vehicle miles traveled by individuals would not change substantially but the number of licensed drivers would increase.
In other words, as population increases, Washington will see an increase in licensed drivers. These additional drivers will result in more overall vehicle miles traveled, assuming that people do not change their travel behavior.
The data appearing on this page is from the WSDOT Financial Planning & Economic Analysis Office, which publishes a Forecast of Fuel, Vehicles, and Related Data Through 2025, available here.
Vehicle Miles Traveled by Licensed Drivers in Washington State has increased since 1980 and is expected to continue to increase in the future.
As Washington's population increases, so does the number of licensed drivers. People are tending to drive longer distances to work, though currently most drivers still drive less than 45 minutes one-way. These are two of the factors that result in an increase in the total number of miles traveled.
Total Vehicle Miles Traveled 1980 - 2030 (projected)
(Miles in billions)
Source: WSDOT Financial Planning and Economic Analysis Office
The number of vehicle miles traveled per person (per capita) has declined a bit in the last several years, but is up 24% since 1980. This trend is expected to continue and increase by 17% from 2007 levels by 2030.
Vehicle Miles Traveled Per Capita
1980 - 2030 (projected)
Source: WSDOT Financial Planning and Economic Analysis Office
In general, vehicle miles of travel by licensed drivers has seen an increase of 7% since 1980 to the present. Future increases are projected at slightly more (17%) looking ahead from 2007 to 2030.
Vehicle Miles Traveled per Licensed Driver
1980 - 2030 (Projected)
Source: WSDOT Financial Planning and Economic Analysis Office
The number of miles traveled per licensed vehicle has also been trending down since about 1996 but the number for 2007 is still up from 1980. This number is expected to continue growing, though at a slow and steady rate.
Variation in this category is often due to individuals owning multiple vehicles.
Vehicle Miles Traveled per Licensed Vehicle
1980 - 2030 (projected)
Source: WSDOT Financial Planning and Economic Analysis Office
Click here for Annual Mileage and Travel Information from the WSDOT Transportation Data Office
See also: Commute Trends and Travel Characteristics