Norwich--New London, CT--RI Urbanized Area Congestion Report
In the line graphs below, FHWA uses Data Collection Year instead of Data Reporting Year to represent snapshot condition/performance at the time the data was collected. More information
The Norwich--New London, CT--RI Urbanized Area covers parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Targets are agreed upon by several transportation agencies and apply to the entire area.
Annual Hours of Peak-Hour Excessive Delay (PHED) Per Capita
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Annual Hours of Peak-Hour Excessive Delay (PHED) Per Capita 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Condition/Performance 3.6 -- -- -- -- Targets -- -- 4.0 -- 4.0
Annual Hours of Peak-Hour Excessive Delay (PHED) Per Capita
- Basis for Targets
- 2-yr Progress
- Basis for 4-yr Target Adjustment
- 4-yr Planned Activities
- 4-yr Progress
(Connecticut) The 2-year and 4-year targets were established based on a) a review of the level of project activity expected during the performance period relative to current and recent levels, b) an evaluation of recent disruptions to normal travel patterns, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they will produce permanent effects on performance; and c) other factors influencing performance. Based on a generally stable project activity level and the conclusion that travel disruptions due to the pandemic were close to returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, the targets have been based on removing 2020 and 2021 data when projecting trends, applying linear regression to understand the trends, considering the coefficient of determination of the resulting coefficients, and considering other covariates in setting targets for this urbanized area. These factors included changes in travel patterns (telework in particular), data such as vehicle registration, and the relationship between fuel prices and travel demand. Finally, the target adoption taken was conservative (there is a desire to achieve the target with a high degree of reliability, and there is not a major congestion-relief initiative in this urbanized area, particularly given that the absolute levels of peak-hour excessive delay are low) given the planned levels of transportation investment targeted at congestion mitigation.
(Rhode Island) The 2-year and 4-year targets were established based on a) a review of the level of project activity expected during the performance period relative to current and recent levels, b) an evaluation of recent disruptions to normal travel patterns, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they will produce permanent effects on performance; and c) other factors influencing performance. Based on a generally stable project activity level and the conclusion that travel disruptions due to the pandemic were close to returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, the targets have been based on removing 2020 and 2021 data when projecting trends, applying linear regression to understand the trends, considering the coefficient of determination of the resulting coefficients, and considering other covariates in setting targets for this urbanized area. These factors included changes in travel patterns (telework in particular), data such as vehicle registration, and the relationship between fuel prices and travel demand. Finally, the target adoption taken was conservative (there is a desire to achieve the target with a high degree of reliability, and there is not a major congestion-relief initiative in this urbanized area, particularly given that the absolute levels of peak-hour excessive delay are low) given the planned levels of transportation investment targeted at congestion mitigation. The five-year average (2017-2021) annual hours of peak hour excessive delay per capita for the Norwich-New London UZA was 3.38. The data source used for the five year average is the NPMRDS dataset and the calculation of the PHED measures was performed by the CATT Lab on its RITIS platform. The five-year average is skewed significantly downward by 2020 data, as the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant downward effect on traffic volumes and associated excessive delay. Omitting 2020 data from the calculation provides an average of 3.7. Rhode Island projects that its planned programs and projects will have no significant influence on the UZA’s peak hour excessive delay over the course of the four-year performance period. Though the state’s Travel Demand Model does project moderate VMT and population increases in the area over the course of the performance period, the effects of these changes are anticipated to be largely mitigated by intersection improvement projects, seasonal reviews and adjustments of traffic signal timings, and increased adoption of remote work.
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Data Sources:
2022 Biennial Performance Report
2022 HPMS Data Submittal
Non-Single Occupancy Vehicle (Non-SOV) Travel
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Non-Single Occupancy Vehicle (Non-SOV) Travel 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Condition/Performance 22.3 -- -- -- -- Targets -- -- 19.4 -- 18.5
Non-Single Occupancy Vehicle (Non-SOV) Travel
- Basis for Targets
- 2-yr Progress
- Basis for 4-yr Target Adjustment
- 4-yr Planned Activities
- 4-yr Progress
(Connecticut) The 2-year and 4-year targets for non-SOV percentage were established based on a) a review of the level of project activity expected during the performance period relative to current and recent levels, b) an evaluation of recent disruptions to normal travel patterns, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they will produce permanent effects on performance; and c) other factors influencing performance. Based on a generally stable project activity level and the conclusion that travel disruptions due to the pandemic were close to returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, the targets have been based on removing 2020 and 2021 data when projecting trends, applying linear regression to understand the trends, considering the coefficient of determination of the resulting coefficients, and considering other covariates in setting targets for this urbanized area. These factors included changes in travel patterns (telework in particular), data such as vehicle registration, and the relationship between fuel prices and travel demand. Finally, the target adoption taken was conservative (there is a desire to achieve the target with a high degree of reliability, and there is not a major congestion-relief initiative in this urbanized area, particularly given that the absolute levels of peak-hour excessive delay are low) given the planned levels of transportation investment targeted at congestion mitigation in general and commutes to work in particular.
(Rhode Island) The 2-year and 4-year targets for non-SOV percentage were established based on a) a review of the level of project activity expected during the performance period relative to current and recent levels, b) an evaluation of recent disruptions to normal travel patterns, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether they will produce permanent effects on performance; and c) other factors influencing performance. Based on a generally stable project activity level and the conclusion that travel disruptions due to the pandemic were close to returning to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, the targets have been based on removing 2020 and 2021 data when projecting trends, applying linear regression to understand the trends, considering the coefficient of determination of the resulting coefficients, and considering other covariates in setting targets for this urbanized area. These factors included changes in travel patterns (telework in particular), data such as vehicle registration, and the relationship between fuel prices and travel demand. Finally, the target adoption taken was conservative (there is a desire to achieve the target with a high degree of reliability, and there is not a major congestion-relief initiative in this urbanized area, particularly given that the absolute levels of peak-hour excessive delay are low) given the planned levels of transportation investment targeted at congestion mitigation in general and commutes to work in particular.
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Data Sources:
2022 Biennial Performance Report
2022 HPMS Data Submittal