Bike Traffic - July 2005

July 2005

The increase in regional traffic congestion coincides with massive road expansion and declining ridership on mass transit. (Nick Jackson photo)

Congestion Reigns ...
... And Region Has Yet to Declare Its Independence

By Matt Maloney

Traffic congestion in Chicagoland has a negative effect on everyone. We know that heavy stop-and-go traffic and excessive idling increase smog levels, which pose a serious health threat to just about anyone who breathes our air. We know that traffic congestion is considered the primary trigger for aggressive driving behavior. We know that clogged arterials isolate communities and create barriers to safe and healthy travel.

But how exactly has traffic congestion changed in the region since, say, the early ‘80s? Are we better off today than we were then? Has the construction of wider, motorist-friendly arterials helped stem the tide?

Since 1982, the Texas Transportation Institute has calculated congestion measures in their annual “Urban Monthly Report.” Last month, the institute released new numbers for regions nationwide, including Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. Let’s look at two simple graphs showcasing some startling changes:

This chart shows the amount of hours the average Chicagoland motorist sits in traffic during rush hour periods (6-9AM and 4-7PM). In 2003, the average motorist spent 58 extra hours (about one and half work weeks!) sitting in traffic. This represents a 263% increase over the year 1982.

Again, we see some eye-opening changes. This chart shows the increased fuel consumption (wasted fuel) due to congested travel, rather than free-flow conditions. In 2003, motorists wasted 151 million gallons of fuel in our region alone, a 459% increase over the year 1982.

Building new and wider roads has not had the intended effect. The figures uphold the growing belief that increased capacity does nothing to reduce congestion, but increases it by attracting more drivers to the roads.

Since 1982, road capacity in Chicagoland has increased by 25 percent. At that time, the region was ranked seventh worse nationwide in congestion. After a 20-year period of increased road capacity, the region is now the third most congested in the country.

Today, 73 percent of the region’s freeway and street lanes are congested during rush hour, as opposed to 46 percent in 1982.

The increased congestion coincides with decreases in transit ridership, suggesting that transit users are among those drawn to the new and expanded roads. Ridership in the Chicago area has declined 30 percent over the past two decades, despite recent gains in the last few years.

It appears impossible to create enough capacity to meet the increased demand. Chicagoland can’t build its way out of traffic congestion. There’s not enough money or space; and we’re out of time.

Next Issue: Bike Traffic looks at what happens when a roadway is lost. Where do all the cars go?

Matt Maloney is research director of Chicagoland Bicycle Federation