As with any region that is expanding as rapidly as Tech Valley is currently, there is a concern about infrastructure and how to combat to congestion. According the latest data from the Texas Transportation Institute, Tech Valley is faring much better in battling congestion growth than other regions of similar size such as Austin, TX; Jacksonville, FL and Raleigh-Durham, NC.
| |
Tech Valley |
Austin |
Jax |
Raleigh |
| Peak Traveler (1000s) |
288 |
464 |
538 |
516 |
| Congested Time (# of rush hrs) |
3.8 |
7.2 |
7.2 |
6.2 |
| Annual Excess Fuel Consumed (1000s gallons) |
2,848 |
15,505 |
13,997 |
11,700 |
| Excess Fuel per peak traveler (annual gallons) |
10 |
33 |
26 |
23 |
| Annual Delay (1000s person-hrs) |
4,574 |
22,580 |
20,779 |
18,234 |
| Delay per Peak Traveler (annual person-hrs) |
16 |
49 |
39 |
35 |
| Annual Congestion Cost ($ millions) |
86 |
422 |
372 |
346 |
| Congestion Cost per Peak Traveler ($) |
300 |
909 |
699 |
671 |
| Travel Time Index* |
1.08 |
1.31 |
1.21 |
1.18 |
In 2005, the hours of delay per peak traveler – those who begin a trip during the morning or evening peak travel periods (6 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 7 p.m.) – was nearly doubled in similar-sized regions than in Tech Valley. The total delay – measuring the overall size of a congestion problem – was about three times as great in similar-sized regions as it was in Tech Valley.
And that adds up in real dollars for a region’s commuters. A commuter in an average medium-sized urban area pays 42% more in costs related to congestion compared to that same commuter in Tech Valley.
| |
Tech Valley |
Average Medium
Urban Area |
| Peak Travelers |
288,000 |
403,000 |
| Congested Time (# of rush hrs) |
3.8 |
5.9 |
| Annual Excess Fuel Consumed (gallons) |
2,848,000 |
7,307,000 |
| Excess Fuel per peak traveler (annual gallons) |
10 |
18 |
| Annual Delay (person-hrs) |
4,574,000 |
11,087,000 |
| Delay per Peak Traveler (annual person-hrs) |
16 |
28 |
| Annual Congestion Cost |
$86,000,000 |
$206,000,000 |
| Congestion Cost per Peak Traveler |
$300 |
$512 |
| Travel Time Index* |
1.08 |
1.16 |
* - Travel Time Index is a measure of congestion that focuses on each trip and each mile of travel. The ratio of travel time in the peak period to travel time in free-flow. In Tech Valley, a 20-minute free-flow trip takes 21.6 minutes in peak travel time. In the average medium urban area, that same free-flow trip takes 23.2 minutes.