San Francisco Chronicle: Bad Economy Improves Commute

[marmar]

'Good' news: Crummy economy means less traffic
Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, May 28, 2009


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OAKLAND -- Commuters are still pounding their fists against their steering wheels and cursing the congestion on Bay Area freeways, but they're spending less time doing it, according to a traffic study released Wednesday.

The number of hours spent slogging to and from work dropped sharply in 2008 - by 12 percent Bay Area-wide - a yearly congestion report compiled by Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shows. It was the first time traffic congestion has declined since 2003, when it dipped after the technology boom went bust.

The big factor: The bad economy means fewer people are going to work, and that means fewer cars on the freeway.

"We know that congestion tracks employment," said Scott Haggerty, chairman of the commission and an Alameda County supervisor. The annual congestion report provides concrete evidence.

During the morning and evening commutes, Bay Area drivers endured 142,400 vehicle hours of delay last year - a measure of the time spent traveling at speeds less than 35 mph. In 2007, drivers spent 161,700 hours in stop-and-go traffic. And in 2000, at the height of the dot-com boom, Bay Area drivers were stuck in slow-moving traffic for 177,600 hours. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/27/BAJV17S52B.DTL&tsp=1

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[ccinamon]

2. I noticed 183 between Fort Worth and Dallas

is not as congested as it was last year. I think there are two reasons: 1) job losses, and 2) mom's are no longer taking their kids places after school/kids can't afford to do things after school like they used so are hanging at friends instead of driving around.

It still seems weird to be on 183EB between 5 and 6:30 and not have stopped traffic...even the infamous Central Dr/121 merge/split fiasco is not as bad this year as it was last year.

I would imagine most large cities are seeing some (slight) improvement in congestion.

[Wednesdays]

3. K&R

:kick:

[grace0418]

4. My commute has improved a thousand-fold. I used to drive about 25 minutes

on a route that, in times of no traffic, takes about 8 minutes to drive. Now I get up, walk up one flight of stairs and down the hall to my office. LOVE it!

[nichomachus]

5. Aw, that's nothing

A good bout of Plague could make it even better. Go for it.