Table 1-61: Roadway Congestion Index
Table 1-61: Roadway Congestion Index
Population group | Urban area | 1982 | 1985 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | Percent change: Short-term 1995-1999R | Percent change: Long-term 1982-1999R | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Percenta | Ranka | Percenta | Ranka | ||||||||||||||
Med | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | R0.46 | 0.51 | 0.68 | 0.67 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 0.74 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.77 | 7 | 22 | 67 | 61 |
Med | Albuquerque, NM | R0.62 | 0.69 | 0.85 | 0.84 | 0.87 | 0.92 | 0.98 | R1.02 | R1.06 | R1.12 | 1.12 | 1.13 | 11 | 49 | 82 | 68 |
Lrg | Atlanta, GA | R0.77 | 0.93 | R0.98 | 0.97 | R0.99 | 1.05 | 1.13 | R1.13 | 1.17 | R1.24 | 1.28 | 1.27 | 12 | 59 | 65 | 59 |
Med | Austin, TX | R0.73 | 0.81 | R0.90 | 0.90 | R0.87 | 0.87 | 0.90 | 0.94 | R0.97 | R1.02 | 1.04 | 1.06 | 13 | 60 | 45 | 38 |
Sml | Bakersfield, CA | R0.54 | 0.56 | R0.64 | 0.67 | R0.70 | 0.68 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 0.74 | 0.75 | 0.76 | 0.77 | 7 | 22 | 43 | 35 |
Lrg | Baltimore, MD | R0.75 | 0.80 | R0.95 | 0.95 | R0.97 | 0.97 | 1.00 | 1.03 | R1.03 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 4 | 15 | 43 | 36 |
Sml | Beaumont, TX | R0.68 | 0.72 | R0.74 | 0.78 | R0.83 | 0.82 | 0.78 | R0.80 | 0.84 | R0.85 | 0.85 | 0.86 | 7 | 30 | 26 | 14 |
Vlg | Boston, MA | R0.88 | 0.98 | R1.09 | 1.09 | R1.11 | 1.17 | 1.19 | R1.21 | 1.22 | R1.25 | 1.27 | 1.28 | 6 | 20 | 45 | 39 |
Sml | Boulder, CO | R0.55 | 0.59 | R0.65 | 0.66 | R0.70 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 0.74 | R0.76 | R0.81 | 0.83 | 0.83 | 12 | 58 | 51 | 46 |
Sml | Brownsville, TX | R0.54 | 0.54 | 0.62 | 0.62 | 0.64 | 0.68 | 0.69 | 0.70 | R0.71 | R0.73 | 0.76 | 0.75 | 7 | 25 | 39 | 33 |
Lrg | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY | R0.53 | 0.55 | R0.60 | 0.62 | R0.64 | 0.66 | 0.68 | R0.67 | R0.66 | R0.68 | 0.70 | 0.72 | 7 | 29 | 36 | 30 |
Med | Charlotte, NC | R0.86 | 1.02 | R1.05 | 1.04 | R0.98 | 0.94 | 0.93 | R0.95 | R1.01 | R1.07 | 1.09 | 1.14 | 20 | 68 | 33 | 22 |
Vlg | Chicago, IL-Northwestern, IN | R0.95 | 1.02 | R1.18 | 1.19 | R1.17 | 1.17 | 1.17 | R1.22 | R1.27 | R1.27 | 1.31 | 1.31 | 7 | 28 | 38 | 31 |
Lrg | Cincinnati, OH-KY | R0.70 | 0.78 | R0.92 | 0.90 | 0.91 | 0.95 | 1.00 | 1.00 | R1.04 | R1.09 | 1.11 | 1.12 | 12 | 55 | 60 | 58 |
Lrg | Cleveland, OH | R0.68 | 0.65 | R0.83 | 0.83 | R0.85 | 0.89 | 0.91 | R0.92 | R0.94 | R0.96 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 8 | 31 | 46 | 40 |
Sml | Colorado Springs, CO | R0.50 | 0.60 | R0.62 | 0.61 | R0.64 | 0.66 | 0.68 | R0.73 | R0.76 | R0.81 | 0.83 | 0.85 | 16 | 65 | 70 | 63 |
Lrg | Columbus, OH | R0.63 | 0.68 | R0.86 | 0.88 | R0.90 | 0.92 | 0.94 | R0.95 | 1.00 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 1.05 | 11 | 46 | 67 | 60 |
Sml | Corpus Christi, TX | R0.57 | 0.65 | R0.67 | 0.66 | R0.67 | 0.65 | 0.64 | R0.64 | R0.66 | R0.70 | 0.70 | 0.71 | 11 | 50 | 25 | 12 |
Lrg | Dallas, TX | R0.78 | 0.91 | 0.99 | 1.01 | 1.01 | 0.99 | 0.97 | 0.98 | 1.00 | 1.04 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 7 | 25 | 35 | 25 |
Lrg | Denver, CO | R0.82 | 0.86 | R0.92 | 0.93 | R0.97 | 0.99 | 1.02 | R1.07 | R1.12 | R1.14 | 1.18 | 1.20 | 12 | 57 | 46 | 41 |
Vlg | Detroit, MI | R0.89 | 0.91 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 1.16 | 1.19 | 1.15 | R1.16 | R1.18 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.20 | 3 | 13 | 35 | 26 |
Med | El Paso, TX-NM | R0.62 | 0.70 | R0.73 | 0.78 | 0.82 | 0.83 | 0.85 | R0.85 | R0.84 | 0.86 | 0.91 | 0.94 | 11 | 48 | 52 | 48 |
Sml | Eugene-Springfield, OR | R0.53 | 0.58 | R0.68 | 0.69 | R0.70 | 0.74 | 0.75 | 0.78 | 0.82 | 0.84 | 0.87 | 0.91 | 17 | 66 | 72 | 65 |
Lrg | Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood-Pompano Beach, FL | R0.69 | 0.75 | R0.90 | 0.95 | R1.03 | 1.05 | 1.03 | R1.05 | R1.07 | R1.12 | 1.12 | 1.17 | 11 | 52 | 70 | 62 |
Lrg | Fort Worth TX | 0.73 | 0.82 | 0.92 | 0.89 | 0.90 | 0.86 | 0.87 | 0.87 | 0.90 | 0.91 | 0.94 | 0.96 | 10 | 44 | 32 | 21 |
Med | Fresno, CA | R0.67 | 0.65 | R0.89 | 0.88 | R0.87 | 0.85 | 0.85 | 0.87 | R0.89 | R0.92 | 0.96 | 1.00 | 15 | 63 | 49 | 44 |
Med | Hartford-Middletown, CT | R0.61 | 0.74 | R0.85 | 0.85 | R0.87 | 0.84 | 0.85 | R0.86 | R0.87 | 0.90 | 0.91 | 0.94 | 9 | 41 | 54 | 52 |
Med | Honolulu, HI | R0.79 | 0.84 | R1.03 | 1.03 | R1.04 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 1.07 | 1.07 | 1.06 | 1.06 | 1.06 | -1 | 4 | 34 | 24 |
Vlg | Houston, TX | R1.03 | 1.11 | R1.05 | 1.00 | 0.99 | 1.02 | 1.00 | R1.00 | R1.03 | 1.07 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 10 | 43 | 7 | 1 |
Lrg | Indianapolis, IN | R0.64 | 0.69 | R0.83 | 0.85 | R0.91 | 0.96 | 1.04 | R1.11 | R1.11 | R1.13 | 1.12 | 1.11 | 0 | 6 | 73 | 66 |
Med | Jacksonville, FL | R0.75 | 0.81 | R0.94 | 0.96 | R0.98 | 1.00 | 1.02 | R1.04 | R1.02 | R1.01 | 1.01 | 1.00 | -4 | 1 | 33 | 23 |
Lrg | Kansas City, MO-KS | R0.50 | 0.58 | R0.63 | 0.61 | R0.63 | 0.69 | 0.71 | 0.72 | 0.75 | 0.76 | 0.77 | 0.79 | 10 | 42 | 58 | 54 |
Sml | Laredo, TX | R0.55 | 0.56 | R0.56 | 0.57 | R0.56 | 0.54 | 0.54 | R0.53 | 0.56 | R0.60 | 0.63 | 0.61 | 15 | 64 | 11 | 4 |
Lrg | Las Vegas, NV | R0.69 | 0.78 | R1.08 | 1.11 | R1.08 | 1.14 | 1.13 | R1.12 | R1.12 | R1.11 | 1.13 | 1.18 | 5 | 19 | 71 | 64 |
Vlg | Los Angeles, CA | R1.29 | 1.31 | R1.59 | 1.58 | R1.56 | 1.54 | 1.50 | R1.52 | R1.56 | R1.54 | 1.58 | 1.58 | 4 | 16 | 22 | 11 |
Med | Louisville, KY-IN | R0.78 | 0.78 | 0.80 | 0.84 | 0.89 | 0.95 | 0.99 | R1.00 | 1.02 | R1.05 | 1.08 | 1.09 | 9 | 38 | 40 | 34 |
Med | Memphis, TN-AR-MS | R0.71 | 0.70 | R0.88 | 0.88 | R0.89 | 0.89 | 0.94 | R0.96 | R0.98 | R0.98 | 0.99 | 0.98 | 2 | 10 | 38 | 32 |
Lrg | Miami-Hialeah, FL | R0.95 | 0.99 | R1.20 | 1.17 | R1.20 | 1.19 | 1.22 | R1.25 | R1.23 | R1.23 | 1.22 | 1.23 | -2 | 3 | 29 | 18 |
Lrg | Milwaukee, WI | R0.71 | 0.80 | R0.92 | 0.92 | R0.92 | 0.89 | 0.91 | R0.94 | R0.99 | 1.01 | 1.02 | 1.05 | 12 | 53 | 48 | 43 |
Lrg | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN | R0.66 | 0.76 | 0.89 | 0.91 | 0.93 | 0.98 | 1.04 | 1.06 | 1.08 | 1.13 | 1.18 | 1.20 | 13 | 62 | 82 | 67 |
Med | Nashville, TN | R0.83 | 0.81 | 0.85 | 0.84 | R0.85 | 0.85 | 0.90 | 0.93 | R0.93 | R0.98 | 0.97 | 1.01 | 9 | 37 | 22 | 10 |
Lrg | New Orleans, LA | R0.92 | 0.97 | R0.94 | 0.96 | R0.95 | 0.94 | 0.99 | R0.99 | R0.96 | R0.97 | 1.00 | 0.99 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
Vlg | New York, NY-Northeastern, NJ | R0.77 | 0.84 | R0.99 | 0.98 | R0.97 | 0.99 | 1.02 | 1.04 | R1.08 | R1.13 | 1.14 | 1.15 | 11 | 47 | 49 | 45 |
Lrg | Norfolk, VA | R0.89 | 1.01 | R0.96 | 0.90 | R0.87 | 0.88 | 0.91 | 0.93 | 0.97 | 0.97 | 0.96 | 0.97 | 4 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
Lrg | Oklahoma City, OK | R0.65 | 0.71 | 0.73 | 0.74 | 0.74 | 0.78 | 0.77 | 0.82 | 0.84 | 0.85 | 0.86 | 0.88 | 7 | 27 | 35 | 28 |
Med | Omaha, NE-IA | R0.62 | 0.70 | R0.75 | 0.76 | R0.79 | 0.80 | 0.80 | R0.81 | R0.84 | R0.85 | 0.87 | 0.90 | 11 | 51 | 45 | 37 |
Lrg | Orlando, FL | R0.82 | 0.93 | R0.95 | 0.97 | R0.97 | 0.97 | 0.96 | R0.97 | R1.00 | R1.04 | 1.05 | 1.05 | 8 | 35 | 28 | 16 |
Vlg | Philadelphia, PA-NJ | R0.82 | 0.86 | R0.94 | 0.99 | 0.98 | 0.96 | 0.97 | R0.97 | R0.98 | R1.02 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 9 | 40 | 29 | 17 |
Lrg | Phoenix, AZ | R0.95 | 0.98 | R1.01 | 1.03 | 1.06 | 1.05 | 1.04 | R1.08 | R1.14 | R1.12 | 1.16 | 1.21 | 12 | 56 | 27 | 15 |
Lrg | Pittsburgh, PA | R0.70 | 0.73 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.74 | 0.74 | 0.74 | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.78 | 0.78 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 6 |
Lrg | Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | R0.81 | 0.90 | R1.01 | 1.03 | 1.07 | 1.10 | 1.12 | 1.15 | 1.20 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.24 | 8 | 33 | 53 | 51 |
Med | Providence-Pawtucket, RI-MA | R0.70 | 0.83 | R0.89 | 0.88 | 0.83 | 0.82 | 0.82 | 0.84 | 0.87 | R0.89 | 0.93 | 0.95 | 13 | 61 | 36 | 29 |
Med | Rochester, NY | R0.51 | 0.57 | R0.69 | 0.70 | R0.72 | 0.72 | 0.74 | R0.77 | R0.77 | R0.76 | 0.77 | 0.78 | 1 | 8 | 53 | 50 |
Lrg | Sacramento, CA | R0.76 | 0.88 | R1.05 | 1.05 | R1.07 | 1.09 | 1.12 | 1.12 | R1.17 | 1.14 | 1.18 | 1.20 | 7 | 24 | 58 | 53 |
Sml | Salem, OR | R0.56 | 0.64 | R0.79 | 0.81 | R0.79 | 0.79 | 0.79 | 0.77 | R0.79 | 0.82 | 0.86 | 0.85 | 10 | 45 | 52 | 49 |
Med | Salt Lake City, UT | R0.66 | 0.71 | R0.84 | 0.89 | 0.91 | 0.95 | 1.01 | 1.04 | 1.05 | R1.01 | 1.01 | 1.00 | -4 | 1 | 52 | 47 |
Lrg | San Antonio, TX | R0.69 | 0.79 | R0.74 | 0.74 | R0.77 | 0.78 | 0.81 | R0.87 | 0.89 | 0.92 | 0.96 | 1.02 | 17 | 67 | 48 | 42 |
Lrg | San Bernardino-Riverside, CA | R0.78 | 0.90 | R1.15 | 1.16 | 1.15 | 1.14 | 1.12 | 1.16 | R1.18 | R1.16 | 1.20 | 1.24 | 7 | 21 | 59 | 57 |
Lrg | San Diego, CA | R0.79 | 0.90 | R1.19 | 1.18 | R1.18 | 1.16 | 1.16 | R1.16 | R1.16 | R1.15 | 1.19 | 1.25 | 8 | 32 | 58 | 55 |
Vlg | San Francisco-Oakland, CA | R1.06 | 1.17 | R1.35 | 1.32 | 1.32 | 1.33 | 1.31 | 1.34 | R1.35 | R1.36 | 1.37 | 1.39 | 4 | 14 | 31 | 19 |
Lrg | San Jose, CA | R1.07 | 1.13 | R1.24 | 1.25 | R1.22 | 1.18 | 1.15 | R1.13 | R1.11 | R1.11 | 1.13 | 1.19 | 5 | 18 | 11 | 5 |
Lrg | Seattle-Everett, WA | R1.07 | 1.17 | 1.21 | 1.21 | 1.17 | 1.18 | 1.19 | 1.20 | 1.22 | R1.25 | 1.26 | 1.30 | 8 | 36 | 21 | 9 |
Sml | Spokane, WA | R0.66 | 0.71 | R0.74 | 0.77 | R0.74 | 0.73 | 0.77 | 0.76 | R0.78 | R0.80 | 0.81 | 0.83 | 9 | 39 | 26 | 13 |
Lrg | St. Louis, MO-IL | R0.87 | 0.94 | R0.91 | 0.90 | R0.92 | 0.95 | 0.99 | 1.00 | 1.01 | R1.02 | 1.01 | 1.03 | 3 | 12 | 18 | 7 |
Med | Tacoma, WA | R0.75 | 0.78 | R0.91 | 0.96 | R1.02 | 1.08 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 1.11 | 1.15 | 1.18 | 1.19 | 8 | 34 | 59 | 56 |
Med | Tampa, FL | 0.91 | 0.87 | 1.02 | 1.07 | 1.09 | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.11 | 1.09 | R1.08 | 1.08 | 1.10 | -1 | 5 | 21 | 8 |
Med | Tucson, AZ | R0.80 | 0.76 | 0.89 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 0.96 | 0.95 | 0.94 | R0.97 | 1.00 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 12 | 53 | 31 | 20 |
Vlg | Washington, DC-MD-VA | 0.99 | 1.13 | R1.24 | 1.23 | R1.28 | 1.31 | 1.34 | 1.32 | 1.32 | 1.33 | 1.35 | 1.34 | 2 | 9 | 35 | 27 |
68 Area Averageb | 0.83 | 0.90 | 1.02 | 1.02 | 1.03 | 1.04 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 1.09 | 1.11 | 1.13 | 1.14 | 7 | 38 | |||
Very Large Area Averageb | 0.97 | 1.04 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.18 | 1.19 | 1.19 | 1.21 | 1.23 | 1.25 | 1.27 | 1.28 | 6 | 32 | |||
Large Area Averageb | 0.75 | 0.83 | 0.94 | 0.94 | 0.95 | 0.96 | 0.99 | 1.00 | 1.02 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.09 | 8 | 44 | |||
Medium Area Averageb | 0.68 | 0.74 | 0.85 | 0.87 | 0.88 | 0.89 | 0.91 | 0.93 | 0.95 | 0.96 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 7 | 45 | |||
Small Area Averageb | 0.56 | 0.62 | 0.67 | 0.68 | 0.69 | 0.69 | 0.70 | 0.71 | 0.74 | 0.77 | 0.78 | 0.79 | 10 | 39 |
KEY: R = revised.
Vlg = very large urban areas - over 3 million population.
Lrg = large urban areas - over 1 million and less than 3 million population.
Med = medium urban areas - over 500,000 and less than 1 million population.
Sml = small urban areas - less than 500,000 population.
a Percent change was calculated using the numbers in this table and were not obtained from the source mentioned below. Rank is based on the calculated percent change with the lowest number corresponding to a rank of 1.
b For the years 1982, 1992, and 1999, the average RCI was obtained from table A-17 from the Texas Transportation Instutute's The 2001 Annual Urban Mobility Report referenced below. For other years, the average RCI was calculated using data obtained from the web site and the RCI formula in the report.
NOTES: The roadway congestion index (RCI) is a measure of vehicle travel density on major roadways in an urban area.
An RCI exceeding 1.0 indicates an undesirable congestion level, on average, on the freeways and principal arterial street system during the peak period.
The cities shown represent the 50 largest metropolitan areas, as well as others chosen by the states sponsoring the Texas Transportation Institute study on mobility.
Due to changes in methodology, data for all years shown were revised. For a detailed explanation of the formulas used, see the source document.
SOURCE: 1982-1999: Texas Transportation Institute, The 2001 Annual Urban Mobility Report (College Station, TX: 2001); RCI data and population groups were obtained from Internet site http://mobility.tamu.edu accessed on Sept. 14, 2001.