TTI study shows roadway congestion growing

American metropolitan communities of all sizes are witness to more and longer traffic delays due to growing roadway congestion, according to the 19th annual Urban Mobility Report released by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI). According to study authors, roadway congestion now costs $67.5 billion per year, or the value of 3.6 billion hours of delays and 5.7 billion gallons of excess fuel consumed in the 75 urban areas studied. To reduce this cost, the authors suggest that a variety of strategies and investments will be needed, including more public transportation. "If public transportation were available throughout the country, more people would have better choices than simply sitting in traffic," said William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association. Noting that the study deals only with roadway congestion, Millar encouraged TTI to expand its study in the future to measure a more complete picture of mobility in urban areas across America.