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FHWA Home / Policy & Governmental Affairs / Highway Policy Information / Traffic Volume Trends / Travel Trends - February 2021

February 2021 Traffic Volume Trends

Travel Trends (February 2021)

Based on preliminary reports from the State Highway Agencies, travel during February 2021 on all roads and streets in the nation changed by -12.1% (-28.3 billion vehicle miles) resulting in estimated travel for the month at 205.4** billion vehicle-miles.

This total includes 60.7 billion vehicle-miles on rural roads and 144.7 billion vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets.

Cumulative Travel changed by -11.7% (-56.7 billion vehicle miles).

The larger changes to rural and urban travel are primarily because of the expansion in urban boundaries reflected in the 2010 census. Travel estimates for 2014 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 1995 are also included.

Travel in Millions of Vehicle Miles All Roads and Streets
Year February Year to
Date
Moving
12-Month
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 199,261 402,703 2,697,095
2001 200,876 410,562 2,754,784
2002 208,237 423,452 2,808,501
2003 203,677 422,211 2,854,268
2004 213,709 436,159 2,904,170
2005 219,970 444,042 2,972,672
2006 220,711 453,993 2,999,380
2007 219,232 452,854 3,012,977
2008 221,336 454,256 3,031,224
2009 217,643 443,172 2,962,426
2010 210,635 431,473 2,945,064
2011 213,463 437,254 2,973,046
2012 218,196 445,724 2,958,872
2013 215,803 445,222 2,968,068
2014 213,949 440,361 2,983,420
2015 217,220 450,718 3,036,013
2016 223,011 462,690 3,107,344
2017 225,644 468,244 3,179,963
2018 227,759 472,496 3,216,598
2019 229,346 475,863 3,243,694
2020 233,688 485,367 3,269,797
2021 205,372 428,652 2,772,560

Traffic Volume Trends is a monthly report based on hourly traffic count data. These data, collected at approximately 5,000 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 these estimates. The Highway Performance Monitoring System provides more accurate information on an annual basis.

** System entries may not add to give "All Systems" total due to rounding for Page 2 to 8.

 

Page last modified on April 13, 2021
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000