There are lots of ways to measure traffic problems. By one national measure, the Triangle area doesn't have much of a problem.
The Texas Transportation Institute's annual Urban Mobility Report finds that the average driver in the Raleigh-Durham metropolitan area, population 1.14 million, wastes 23 hours in traffic jams and delays each year. That may sound bad. But, compared to the situation in other cities, it's good.
In fact, this number gives the Raleigh-Durham the least rush-hour congestion of all the 47 metro areas that have at least 1 million residents. Less congestion than lots of smaller cities, too -- including Greensboro, Knoxville, Columbia and Charleston (SC), Baton Rouge, Oklahoma City, Richmond and Albany. While Raleigh-Durham ranks 40th in population, it ranks 83rd in rush-hour delays.
Who's worst? Washington, D.C., where the average driver loses 67 hours in traffic jams every year. Charlotte comes in at 25th worst, with 40 hours of delays.
Bruce Siceloff reports on traffic and transportation. A News & Observer reporter, editor and blogger since 1976, he took over the
Comments
GETTING WORSE -- AND MISLEADING DUE TO BAD DATA
Wed, 02/06/2013 - 14:31 — whoodathunkIf the numbers look good it's because 1) the Raleigh-Durham MSA has recently seen I40 commute times decline with the recent I-40 widening reflected in the latest snapshot of data in the repetitive cycle of growth-->congestion-->highway-widening (repeat) and 2) because the Raleigh-Durham MSA data is badly overweighted toward highway travel (versus non-highway travel); and 3) biased in favor of the Raleigh-Durham MSA by virtue of the simple fact of geographic layout and spread that, unlike most (all?) of the other "large" cities, reflects the fact that Raleigh-Durham is actually not one but three separate cities with a large portion of highway travel concentrated into a low-density point in the approximate center of the three cities (Raleigh, Cary and Durham) where Research Triangle Park and the the RDU Airport are located. The data and analysis do not adjust for geographic area and population density patterns, so they end up comparing a bunch of single city-MSA's with much higher population densities in classic organic growth patterns characterized by a single highest-density downtown center and long commute times for many workers sharing a highway system with three separate cities with separate sections of highway leading to RTP. If you don't commute to RTP the data isn't going to accurately provide a comparison with other cities.
This is going to change
Wed, 02/06/2013 - 09:51 — goobnavWith the upcoming construction on the south side of Raleigh, this number will go up. Can't wait to see the reactions to this debacle by the public. It is not going to be pretty in the beginning.
congestion in Raleigh
Tue, 02/05/2013 - 21:39 — MozarteanThis ranking should surprise no one who watched the flow of cash that descended on the Triangle from the eastern NC Democratic cabal over the last generation.
And yet you profess bewilderment at the clean sweep the GOP made in 2012.