Figure 1: Annual Traffic Delay per Peak Hour Traveler Among 5 U.S. Cities

Figure 2: On-Time Performance, King County Metro Transit

Figures:  
• Figure 1: Annual Traffic Delay per Peak Hour Traveler Among 5 U.S. Cities  – 
• Figure 2: On-Time Performance, King County Metro Transit

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

Annual Traffic Delay Per Peak Traveler.

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

According to 2003 survey data, traffic congestion has decreased during peak hours (6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.) in Seattle, compared to 1996. The annual traffic delay per peak traveler has decreased since 1996 from 59 to 46 hours in 2003. The improvement may be due to new bottleneck relief projects, increase in HOV lanes, and congestion reduction strategies. (Figure 1)

Cities with a similar population size, such as San Diego, Denver, Minneapolis and Baltimore, have had increasingly worse traffic delays during peak traffic time.  Seattle is one of seven metropolitan areas that experienced declines in annual delay per traveler.

Data Source and Limitations

Annual traffic delay data are from the Urban Mobility Study developed by the Texas Transportation Institute. Information on intensity of peak hours and reason for decrease in traffic congestion was from David Schrank, at the Texas Transportation Institute. Data regarding health problems associated with lack of exercise were from the Surface Transportation Policy Project. Additional data on declines of traffic delays between 1992 and 2002 comes from a September 8, 2004 Seattle Times articles.

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