For the Reporter

A new approach to researching and reporting transportation system performance in Washington state focuses on moving more people in fewer vehicles.

The Washington State Department of Transportation worked closely with partners from Puget Sound-area transit and planning organizations to implement a multimodal-system analysis in the new Corridor Capacity Report. The annual report (previously known as the Congestion Report) was retooled to explain how transportation system efficiency would improve if travelers made better use of available capacity across all modes of transportation.

“This multimodal approach is an exciting step forward for WSDOT in analyzing comprehensive system performance,” said Daniela Bremmer, WSDOT director of strategic assessment and performance analysis. “This report plays a pivotal role in understanding the impact current multimodal trends have on our schedules, wallets and the environment. It also captures travelers’ experiences in terms of individual trip times and trip reliability – providing a true customer focus.”

In addition to updates on vehicle miles traveled, statewide delay and the cost of this delay to Washingtonians, the Corridor Capacity Report provides performance highlights on:

• Transit ridership, reduced vehicle miles traveled due to transit

• Benefits of corridor-based analysis

• Ferry capacity and reliability

• Cost of congestion trend

• Greenhouse gas emissions

• Park and ride lot capacity and utilization

According to the report, each Washingtonian traveled 202 fewer miles in 2012 (8,303 miles traveled per person) than they did in 2010. The 2012 per-person vehicle miles traveled was the lowest since 1988. On average, the state’s residents last year spent four hours and 30 minutes delayed in traffic, which translates to $115 in associated costs per person.

To find out more about WSDOT accountability and view the Corridor Capacity Report, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/Accountability/.