2009 Urban Mobility Report

Congestion is a problem in America’s 439 urban areas, and it has gotten worse in regions of all sizes. In 2007, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.8 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $87.2 billion – an increase of more than 50% over the previous decade. This was a decrease of 40 million hours and a decrease of 40 million gallons, but an increase of over $100 million from 2006 due to an increase in the cost of fuel and truck delay. Small traffic volume declines brought on by increases in fuel prices over the last half of 2007 caused a small reduction in congestion from 2006 to 2007. There are many congestion problems but there are also many solutions. The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers. The best approach to selecting strategies is to identify projects, programs and policies that solve problems or capitalize on opportunities. The strategies must address the issue that the problems are not the same in every region or on every day – the variation in travel time is often as frustrating and costly as the regular “daily slog” through traffic jams. This report clearly demonstrates that all the solutions are not being implemented fast enough.

• Record URL:
  http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/
• Record URL:
  http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility_report_2009_wappx.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135

  Research and Innovative Technology Administration

  Office of University Programs, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Schrank, David
  • Lomax, Tim
• Publication Date: 2009-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 41p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fuel consumption; Mobility; Traffic congestion; Traffic delays; Urban areas
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01135598
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: DTRT06-G-0044
• Files: UTC, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 21 2009 8:13AM