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Table 1-65: Annual Roadway Congestion Index

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Population group Urban area 1982 1985 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Points change
Short-term 1996-2001 		Points change
Long-term 1982-2001
Points Ranka Points Ranka
Medium Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 0.46 0.51 0.68 0.67 0.69 0.71 0.71 0.72 0.74 0.75 0.75 0.77 0.78 0.80 6 24 34 41
Medium Albuquerque, NM 0.62 0.69 0.85 0.84 0.87 0.91 0.97 1.00 1.05 1.06 1.08 1.08 R1.07 1.05 0 2 43 60
Small Anchorage, AK 0.58 0.63 0.62 0.62 0.60 0.59 0.61 0.60 0.59 0.59 0.62 0.61 0.62 0.65 6 24 7 2
Large Atlanta, GA 0.77 0.93 0.98 0.97 0.99 1.05 1.13 1.13 1.17 1.24 1.28 1.27 R1.33 1.33 16 66 56 71
Medium Austin, TX 0.73 0.81 0.90 0.90 0.88 0.88 0.90 0.94 0.97 1.01 1.03 1.07 R1.12 1.17 20 73 44 62
Small Bakersfield, CA 0.54 0.56 0.64 0.67 0.70 0.68 0.71 0.72 0.74 0.75 0.76 0.78 0.76 0.77 3 13 23 18
Large Baltimore, MD 0.75 0.80 0.95 0.95 0.97 0.97 1.00 1.03 1.03 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.10 1.14 11 52 39 54
Small Beaumont, TX 0.65 0.72 0.74 0.78 0.83 0.82 0.78 0.80 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.86 0.84 0.86 2 8 21 15
Medium Birmingham, AL 0.69 0.70 0.78 0.77 0.78 0.81 0.85 0.87 0.90 0.93 0.96 0.98 0.99 1.00 10 48 31 34
Very large Boston, MA 0.88 0.98 1.09 1.09 1.11 1.17 1.19 1.21 1.22 1.25 1.27 1.28 1.30 1.31 9 43 43 60
Small Boulder, CO 0.55 0.59 0.65 0.66 0.70 0.71 0.72 0.74 0.76 0.81 0.83 0.83 0.81 0.84 8 33 29 25
Small Brownsville, TX 0.54 0.54 0.62 0.62 0.64 0.68 0.69 0.70 0.71 0.73 0.76 0.75 0.78 0.79 8 33 25 19
Large Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY 0.53 0.55 0.60 0.62 0.64 0.66 0.68 0.67 0.66 0.68 0.70 0.72 0.76 0.75 9 43 22 17
Small Charleston, SC 0.85 0.88 0.96 0.95 0.95 0.94 0.95 0.93 0.92 0.93 0.97 0.98 0.98 0.95 3 13 10 5
Medium Charlotte, NC 0.86 1.02 1.05 1.04 0.98 0.94 0.94 0.95 1.01 1.07 1.09 1.14 1.15 1.17 16 66 31 34
Very large Chicago, IL-Northwestern, IN 0.95 1.02 1.18 1.19 1.17 1.17 1.17 1.22 1.27 1.27 1.31 R1.32 R1.33 1.34 7 30 39 54
Large Cincinnati, OH-KY 0.70 0.78 0.92 0.90 0.91 0.95 1.00 1.00 1.04 1.09 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.12 8 33 42 58
Large Cleveland, OH 0.68 0.65 0.83 0.83 0.85 0.89 0.91 0.92 0.94 0.96 0.98 0.98 0.97 0.94 0 2 26 21
Small Colorado Springs, CO 0.50 0.60 0.62 0.61 0.64 0.66 0.68 0.73 0.76 0.81 0.83 0.85 0.86 0.87 11 52 37 49
Large Columbus, OH 0.63 0.68 0.85 0.87 0.90 0.92 0.94 0.97 1.00 1.02 1.04 1.04 1.02 1.08 8 33 45 63
Small Corpus Christi, TX 0.57 0.65 0.67 0.66 0.67 0.65 0.64 0.64 0.66 0.70 0.70 0.71 R0.71 0.71 5 21 14 9
Very large Dallas -Fort Worth, TX 0.73 0.86 0.96 0.96 0.95 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.98 R1.02 1.07 R1.08 R1.11 1.12 14 60 39 54
Large Denver, CO 0.82 0.86 0.92 0.93 0.97 0.99 1.02 1.07 1.12 1.14 1.18 1.20 1.23 1.28 16 66 46 64
Very large Detroit, MI 0.89 0.91 1.08 1.09 1.16 1.19 1.15 1.16 1.18 1.18 1.18 1.20 R1.23 1.24 6 24 35 44
Medium El Paso, TX-NM 0.62 0.70 0.73 0.78 0.82 0.83 0.85 0.85 0.84 0.86 0.91 0.94 0.98 0.99 15 63 37 49
Small Eugene-Springfield, OR 0.53 0.58 0.68 0.69 0.70 0.74 0.75 0.78 0.82 0.84 0.87 0.91 0.94 0.92 10 48 39 54
Large Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood-Pompano Beach, FL 0.69 0.75 0.90 0.95 1.03 1.05 1.03 1.05 1.07 1.12 1.12 1.17 1.23 1.28 21 74 59 73
Small Fort Myers - Cape Coral, FL 0.83 0.87 0.95 0.95 0.93 0.90 0.90 0.90 0.92 0.94 0.94 0.95 0.96 0.95 3 13 12 6
Medium Fresno, CA 0.67 0.65 0.86 0.88 0.87 0.85 0.85 0.87 0.89 0.92 0.96 0.98 R1.00 0.97 8 33 30 30
Medium Hartford-Middletown, CT 0.61 0.74 0.82 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.85 0.86 0.87 0.90 0.91 0.94 0.97 0.98 11 52 37 49
Medium Honolulu, HI 0.79 0.84 1.03 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.07 1.08 1.07 1.06 1.06 1.06 1.04 1.04 -3 1 25 19
Very large Houston, TX 1.03 1.11 1.04 1.00 1.01 1.01 1.00 1.00 1.02 R1.06 R1.10 R1.13 R1.17 1.19 17 69 16 12
Large Indianapolis, IN 0.64 0.69 0.83 0.85 0.91 0.96 1.05 1.12 1.13 1.16 1.14 1.13 R1.16 1.19 6 24 55 70
Medium Jacksonville, FL 0.75 0.81 0.94 0.96 0.98 1.00 1.02 1.04 1.02 1.01 1.01 1.00 1.02 1.02 0 2 27 22
Large Kansas City, MO-KS R0.53 R0.62 R0.66 R0.64 R0.65 R0.72 R0.72 R0.74 R0.77 R0.78 R0.79 R0.81 R0.83 0.84 7 30 31 34
Small Laredo, TX 0.55 0.56 0.56 0.57 0.56 0.54 0.54 0.53 0.56 0.60 0.63 R0.63 R0.63 0.67 11 52 12 6
Large Las Vegas, NV 0.69 0.78 1.06 1.09 1.10 1.15 1.13 1.12 1.12 1.11 1.13 1.18 1.23 1.20 8 33 51 66
Very large Los Angeles, CA 1.29 1.31 1.59 1.58 1.56 1.54 1.50 1.52 1.56 1.54 1.58 1.58 1.59 1.56 0 2 27 22
Medium Louisville, KY-IN 0.78 0.78 0.80 0.84 0.89 0.93 0.97 0.99 1.01 1.05 1.08 1.09 1.09 1.08 7 30 30 30
Medium Memphis, TN-AR-MS 0.71 0.70 0.88 0.88 0.89 0.89 0.94 0.96 0.98 0.98 0.99 0.98 1.00 1.03 5 21 32 39
Large Miami-Hialeah, FL 0.95 0.99 1.20 1.17 1.20 1.19 1.22 1.25 1.23 1.23 R1.24 R1.25 R1.31 1.29 6 24 34 41
Large Milwaukee, WI 0.71 0.80 0.93 0.94 0.93 0.89 0.91 0.94 0.99 1.01 1.02 R1.07 R1.10 1.08 9 43 37 49
Large Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN 0.66 0.76 0.89 0.91 0.93 0.98 1.04 1.06 1.08 1.13 1.18 1.20 1.22 1.25 17 69 59 73
Medium Nashville, TN 0.83 0.82 0.85 0.84 0.85 0.85 0.90 0.93 0.93 0.96 0.97 0.98 0.98 1.03 10 48 20 14
Large New Orleans, LA 0.92 0.97 0.94 0.96 0.95 0.94 0.99 0.99 0.96 0.97 1.00 0.99 0.97 0.97 1 6 5 1
Very large New York, NY-Northeastern, NJ 0.77 0.86 0.99 0.99 0.99 1.01 1.02 1.04 R1.06 R1.09 R1.11 R1.14 R1.15 1.15 9 43 38 53
Large Norfolk - Newport News-Virginia Beach, VA 0.84 0.89 0.91 0.89 0.88 0.89 0.91 0.91 0.94 0.95 0.96 0.97 R0.95 0.96 2 8 12 6
Large Oklahoma City, OK 0.65 0.71 0.73 0.74 0.74 0.78 0.77 0.82 0.84 0.85 0.86 0.88 0.87 0.86 2 8 21 15
Medium Omaha, NE-IA 0.62 0.70 0.75 0.76 0.79 0.80 0.80 0.81 0.84 0.85 0.87 0.90 0.90 0.92 8 33 30 30
Large Orlando, FL 0.82 0.93 0.95 0.97 0.97 0.97 0.96 0.97 1.00 1.03 1.05 1.07 1.11 1.14 14 60 32 39
Small Pensacola, FL 0.61 0.69 0.84 0.85 0.86 0.87 0.87 0.88 0.86 0.88 0.87 0.88 0.92 0.91 5 21 30 30
Very large Philadelphia, PA-NJ 0.82 0.87 0.94 0.99 0.98 0.99 1.00 1.00 1.01 1.05 1.08 1.10 1.10 1.11 10 48 29 25
Large Phoenix, AZ 0.95 0.98 1.01 1.03 1.06 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.14 1.12 1.16 1.21 1.27 1.29 15 63 34 41
Large Pittsburgh, PA 0.70 0.73 0.75 0.75 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.76 0.76 0.76 0.78 0.78 0.77 0.78 2 8 8 3
Large Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA 0.81 0.90 1.02 1.03 1.07 1.10 1.12 1.15 1.20 1.22 1.22 R1.25 1.27 1.28 8 33 47 65
Medium Providence-Pawtucket, RI-MA 0.71 0.83 0.89 0.88 0.83 0.82 0.82 0.84 0.86 0.89 0.93 0.95 0.98 1.00 14 60 29 25
Medium Richmond, VA 0.67 0.73 0.75 0.74 0.75 0.79 0.79 0.78 0.80 0.81 0.83 0.83 0.83 0.83 3 13 16 12
Medium Rochester, NY 0.51 0.57 0.69 0.70 0.72 0.72 0.74 0.77 0.77 0.76 0.77 0.78 0.80 0.80 3 13 29 25
Large Sacramento, CA 0.76 0.88 1.05 1.05 1.07 1.09 1.12 1.12 1.17 1.14 1.18 1.20 1.25 1.28 11 52 52 68
Small Salem, OR 0.56 0.64 0.79 0.81 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.77 0.79 0.82 0.86 0.85 0.87 0.87 8 33 31 34
Medium Salt Lake City, UT 0.66 0.71 0.84 0.89 0.91 0.94 1.00 1.04 1.04 1.01 1.01 1.00 R1.04 1.08 4 19 42 48
Large San Antonio, TX 0.69 0.78 0.74 0.74 0.77 0.78 0.81 0.87 0.89 0.92 0.97 1.03 1.05 1.04 15 63 35 44
Large San Bernardino-Riverside, CA 0.78 0.90 1.14 1.16 1.15 1.14 1.12 1.16 1.18 1.16 1.20 R1.25 1.26 1.30 12 57 52 68
Large San Diego, CA 0.79 0.90 1.19 1.18 1.18 1.16 1.16 1.17 1.17 1.18 1.20 1.25 1.32 1.35 18 71 56 71
Very large San Francisco-Oakland, CA 1.06 1.17 1.35 1.32 1.32 1.33 1.31 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.39 R1.41 1.41 6 24 35 44
Large San Jose, CA 1.07 1.13 1.24 1.25 1.22 1.18 1.15 1.13 1.11 1.11 1.13 1.19 1.34 1.36 25 75 29 25
Large Seattle-Everett, WA R0.87 R0.94 R1.15 R1.18 R1.18 R1.18 R1.19 R1.18 R1.19 R1.21 R1.23 R1.25 1.23 1.23 4 19 36 48
Small Spokane, WA R0.53 R0.57 R0.62 R0.65 R0.69 0.73 0.77 0.76 0.78 0.80 0.81 0.83 0.82 0.81 3 13 28 24
Large St. Louis, MO-IL 0.87 0.94 0.91 0.90 0.92 0.95 0.99 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.02 1.03 R1.04 1.02 1 6 15 10
Medium Tacoma, WA 0.75 0.78 0.91 0.96 1.02 1.08 1.10 1.12 1.13 1.15 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.26 13 59 51 66
Large Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 1.07 1.12 1.10 1.13 1.14 1.17 1.16 1.16 1.14 1.11 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.16 2 8 9 4
Medium Tucson, AZ 0.78 0.76 0.89 0.93 0.93 0.96 0.95 0.95 0.97 1.00 1.04 1.05 R1.07 1.09 12 57 31 34
Medium Tulsa, OK 0.73 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.75 0.77 0.79 0.80 0.82 0.83 0.87 0.88 9 43 15 10
Large West Palm Beach - Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL 0.57 0.65 R0.85 R0.89 R0.96 R1.01 R1.05 R1.06 R1.07 R1.09 R1.13 R1.19 R1.24 1.25 18 71 68 75
Very large Washington, DC-MD-VA 0.99 1.13 R1.16 R1.14 R1.17 R1.16 R1.22 R1.24 R1.26 R1.27 R1.29 R1.29 R1.30 1.34 8 33 35 44
  75-Area Average R0.87 R0.94 R1.07 R1.07 R1.08 R1.08 R1.09 R1.11 R1.13 R1.14 R1.16 R1.18 R1.20 1.21 8   34  
  Very Large Area Average R0.99 R1.06 R1.22 R1.21 R1.21 R1.21 R1.20 R1.22 R1.25 R1.25 R1.28 R1.30 R1.31 1.31 6   32  
  Large Area Average R0.78 R0.86 R0.97 R0.98 R0.99 R1.01 R1.03 R1.04 R1.06 R1.08 R1.10 R1.12 R1.16 1.17 11   39  
  Medium Area Average R0.70 R0.75 R0.84 R0.85 R0.86 R0.88 R0.90 R0.92 R0.94 R0.95 R0.97 R0.99 R1.00 1.02 8   32  
  Small Area Average R0.62 R0.67 R0.74 R0.74 R0.76 R0.76 R0.77 R0.77 R0.78 R0.81 R0.82 R0.84 R0.84 0.84 6   22  

KEY: R = revised.

Very large urban areas - over 3 million population.

Large urban areas - over 1 million and less than 3 million population.

Medium urban areas - over 500,000 and less than 1 million population.

Small urban areas - less than 500,000 population.

a Rank is based on the calculated point change with the lowest number corresponding to a rank of 1.

NOTE

The Roadway Congestion Index (RCI) is a measure of vehicle travel density on major roadways in an urban area. An RCI exceeding 1.0 indicates an undesirable congestion level, on an average, on the freeways and principal arterial street systems during the peak period. The cities shown represent the 50 largest metropolitan areas, as well as others chosen by the states sponsoring the Texas Transportation Institute's study on mobility.

SOURCE

1982 - 2001: Texas Transportation Institute, The 2003 Annual Urban Mobility Study (College Station, TX: 2003) from Internet site http://mobility.tamu.edu as of Oct. 27, 2003.
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