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February 2011 Traffic Volume Trends

Travel Trends (February 2011)

Based on preliminary reports from the State Highway Agencies, travel during February 2011 on all roads and streets in the nation changed by 0.9 percent (2.0 billion vehicle miles) resulting in estimated travel for the month at 214.8** billion vehicle-miles.

This total includes 67.9 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 147.0 billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets.

Cumulative Travel changed by 0.6 percent (2.8 billion vehicle miles).

The larger changes to rural and urban travel are primarily because of the expansion in urban boundaries reflected in the 2000 census. Travel estimates for 2004 and beyond will also reflect this adjustment.

Travel for the current month, the cumulative yearly total, as well as the moving 12-month total on all roads and streets is shown below. Similar totals for each year since 1986 are also included.

Travel in Millions of Vehicle Miles All Roads and Streets
Year February Year to Date Moving 12-Month
1986 123,526 256,524 1,787,798
1987 135,996 275,914 1,857,631
1988 141,748 290,627 1,939,041
1989 146,732 306,482 2,041,441
1990 153,559 317,159 2,117,716
1991 153,351 311,240 2,141,582
1992 160,204 327,856 2,188,830
1993 162,844 334,524 2,253,820
1994 166,444 335,758 2,297,939
1995 171,053 364,891 2,386,720
1996 176,562 360,027 2,417,911
1997 183,950 374,076 2,496,251
1998 187,167 384,037 2,570,334
1999 191,485 385,067 2,626,392
2000 199,307 402,797 2,697,189
2001 201,009 411,043 2,755,770
2002 208,157 423,680 2,808,247
2003 203,777 422,527 2,854,356
2004 213,270 436,008 2,903,703
2005 219,584 444,023 2,972,804
2006 220,299 453,960 2,999,366
2007 218,690 452,864 3,013,276
2008 221,174 455,056 3,033,316
2009 219,176 446,014 2,967,486
2010 212,849 435,800 2,967,381
2011 214,820 438,559 3,002,599

Traffic Volume Trends is a monthly report based on hourly traffic count data. These data, collected at approximately 4,000 continuous traffic counting locations nationwide, are used to determine the percent change in traffic for the current month compared to the same month in the previous year. This percent change is applied to the travel for the same month of the previous year to obtain an estimate of travel for the current month. Because of the limited sample sizes, caution should be used with theses estimates. The highway Performance Monitoring System provides more accurate information on an anual basis.

** System entries may not add up to the give "All Systems" total due to rounding on pages 2 to 8.

 

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United States Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration