The Seattle Times reports today that Seattle is the 5th most congested city in the U.S. This is according to a new study by TomTom. (We weren’t familiar with the company, either. It’s a global traffic navigation and mapping company.)
Here’s the Seattle-specific page.
Opportunity Washington has additional information on the need for transportation investments and the return on investment. For example, here and here. From our research report:
…if Washington doesn’t increase its investment in the preservation and maintenance of its roads and bridges and make improvements in key economic corridors, by 2026:
• Overall congestion statewide will rise to 109 million hours per year, costing drivers $940 annually.
• Sixty percent of state highway pavement will be rated in “poor” condition or worse, costing drivers $1,040 per year in vehicle maintenance costs. • Forty percent of bridges will be functionally obsolete or structurally deficient.
• Preservation and maintenance of existing highways will be nine times more expensive, escalating to $2.7 million per mile.
• Trade volumes at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma will be flat or declining.
The return on investment is overwhelmingly positive and the data paint a stark picture of what will happen without action.
The evidence continues to pile up, just like traffic in the Puget Sound corridor.
