[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: DRCOG 2010 Annual Report on Traffic Congestion in the Denver Region

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Cowles, Macon

Those of you interested on congestion and traffic will be interested in this new report from DRCOG. It shows that the congestion delays experienced by the average Denver traveler will triple by 2035 at current levels of funding. This is obviously dismal, and unacceptable. The report is available at http://www.drcog.org/documents/2010%20Annual%20Report%205-5.pdf.

To couinter this unacceptable situation, the DRCOG Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan (MVRTP) was recently updated to incorporate sustainability goals for the region. The 2035 transportation-related goals are to:

1.      Reduce the share of drive-alone commuters from 74 percent to 65 percent
2.      Reduce the vehicle miles traveled per capita per day by 10 percent (from 26.3 to 23.7 miles per day per person)
3.      Reduce transportation greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per capita by 60 percent (from 9,900 to 4,000 pounds per year per person)

The purpose of these goals is to create a sustainable transportation system, thereby protecting regional air quality and reducing fuel and energy consumption. Attainment of the goals will rely heavily upon future land use patterns and use of alternative modes of transportation. For example, an increase in mixed-use, high-density, and transit-oriented developments will help increase the share of transit, bicycle, and pedestrian trips. Travel patterns will be greatly impacted by the price and availability of fuel. Fuel price increases caused an initial overall reduction in VMT in 2008 and, when combined with the poor economy, the region has even seen a decrease in VMT per capita. Time will tell if the weak economy was the primary cause or if a societal shift to driving less has actually occurred. A reduction in GHG emissions will also rely heavily upon the fuel economy of the 2035 motor vehicle fleet, including the incorporation of more electric vehicles.

Macon Cowles
Boulder City Councilor