Streets and Trips 2018 offers a detailed snapshot of urban mobility patterns during a year of shifting travel habits and policy debates. This overview highlights mode choices, corridor performance, and emerging challenges for city planners.
Data from this edition supports more targeted investments in transit, streets, and active transportation networks, helping regions respond to congestion and safety priorities.
| Metric | 2017 | 2018 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle Miles Traveled (national, billions) | 3,220 | 3,270 | +1.5% |
| Public Transit Ridership (billions) | 10.7 | 10.5 | -1.9% |
| Bicycle Commute Share (% of trips) | 0.9 | 1.1 | +0.2 pp |
| Pedestrian Commute Share (% of trips) | 2.9 | 3.0 | +0.1 pp |
| Congestion Delay Hours per traveler | 54 | 57 | +3 hours |
Travel Patterns and Mode Shift
Commute Choices and Peak Hour Flow
Streets and Trips 2018 examines how commuters balanced car use with transit, walking, and cycling. Morning and evening peaks showed persistent stress on major arterials, while transit struggled to retain riders in some regions.
Spatial Distribution of Trips
The analysis maps trip generation across neighborhoods, revealing where vehicle dependence remains high and where multimodal networks absorb more demand. Inner corridors gained mode share, but outer suburbs still lean heavily on single-occupancy vehicles.
Street Design and Safety Outcomes
Complete Streets Implementation
Cities that adopted Complete Streets policies reported faster installation of protected bike lanes, curb extensions, and pedestrian refuges. However, inconsistent funding slowed comprehensive network coverage.
Safety Performance by Road Type
Arterials designed primarily for throughput saw higher severe injury rates, while streets calibrated for lower speeds and mixed use showed measurable declines in crashes. Vision Zero corridor data underpinned targeted enforcement and engineering treatments.
Transit Investment and Reliability
Service Frequency and On-Time Performance
Investment in dedicated bus lanes, signal priority, and off-board ticketing improved reliability on key corridors. Yet overall on-time performance remained uneven, with headway adherence suffering during peak congestion.
Integration with Active Networks
Stations with safe bike parking, real-time information, and first/last mile links retained higher ridership. Intermodal hubs that aligned schedules, fares, and wayfinding delivered smoother transfers and stronger mode shift from cars.
Policy Context and Funding Landscape
Federal, State, and Local Levers
Federal formulas continued to prioritize lane throughput, while state and local programs pushed safety and accessibility. Competitive grants enabled innovative pilot projects, though long-term operation often depended on uncertain funding streams.
Equity and Community Input
Robust public engagement in Streets and Trips 2018 helped surface access needs for underserved neighborhoods. Incorporating equity metrics into project selection improved outcomes, but procedural gaps persisted in some regions.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
- Prioritize safety and accessibility over pure throughput in street redesign projects.
- Strengthen integration between transit, biking, and walking networks at major activity centers.
- Use data on crashes, delays, and mode share to target high-impact corridors.
- Secure reliable funding and clear governance to maintain and expand multimodal infrastructure.
- Embed equity metrics and community engagement early in planning to ensure broad access and support.
FAQ
Reader questions
How do the 2018 congestion delay hours compare to previous years?
The national average increased from 54 to 57 hours per traveler, indicating growing bottlenecks and slower traffic flow during peak periods.
Which mode showed the strongest growth in share from 2017 to 2018?
Walking commute share rose slightly from 2.9% to 3.0%, while bicycling increased from 0.9% to 1.1%, reflecting continued interest in active transportation.
What caused the small decline in public transit ridership in 2018?
Transit ridership fell by about 1.9%, driven by service frequency gaps, fare pressure in some markets, and competition from ride-hailing options in dense corridors.
Where were Complete Streets policies most effective for safety?
Corridors with targeted engineering, lower design speeds, and consistent enforcement saw the largest reductions in severe injuries and crashes per vehicle mile.