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January 2011 Traffic Volume Trends

Travel Trends (January 2011)

Based on preliminary reports from the State Highway Agencies, travel during January 2011 on all roads and streets in the nation changed by 0.2 percent (0.5 billion vehicle miles) resulting in estimated travel for the month at 223.5** billion vehicle-miles.

This total includes 70.8 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 152.7 billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets.

Cumulative Travel changed by 0.2 percent (0.5 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 January Year to Date Moving 12-Month
1986 132,998 132,998 1,783,639
1987 139,918 139,918 1,845,160
1988 148,879 148,879 1,933,289
1989 159,750 159,750 2,036,457
1990 163,600 163,600 2,110,889
1991 157,889 157,889 2,141,790
1992 167,652 167,652 2,181,977
1993 171,680 171,680 2,251,180
1994 169,314 169,314 2,294,338
1995 193,838 193,838 2,382,111
1996 183,465 183,465 2,412,403
1997 190,126 190,126 2,488,862
1998 196,870 196,870 2,567,117
1999 193,581 193,581 2,622,074
2000 203,490 203,490 2,689,368
2001 210,034 210,034 2,754,067
2002 215,523 215,523 2,801,100
2003 218,750 218,750 2,858,736
2004 222,738 222,738 2,894,210
2005 224,439 224,439 2,966,491
2006 233,660 233,660 2,998,651
2007 234,175 234,175 3,014,886
2008 233,882 233,882 3,030,831
2009 226,838 226,838 2,969,484
2010 223,019 223,019 2,973,776
2011 223,495 223,495 2,999,439

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