More evidence for the traffic tipping point

Small reductions in the volume of traffic, especially at the peak hour produce disproportionate reductions in levels of congestion --evidence of the traffic tipping point.

A new report from the San Francisco Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission shows that a modest reduction in economic economic activity and traffic levels in 2008, was accompanied by a 12 percent reduction in total hours of congestion (measured as the amount of time travelling under 35 miles per hour on the region's freeways.  Bay area employment declined about 2 percent in 2008, while vehicle miles in California (statewide numbers) were down about 4 percent.

While many treat the decline in congestion as a temporary silver lining in the dark economic clouds, the more important lesson here is that travel demand management could greatly reduce congestion -- without the need to build additional highway capacity.