Reducing congestion on our streets and highways is important for the movement of freight, emergency vehicles, public transit, and personal and business trips that must cover long distances quickly - often in areas or at times that are not well served by public transit. Unfortunately, the amount of time we spend stuck in traffic has grown by 20% over the past ten years.

Reducing the number of drive-alone trips is the simplest way to reduce the number of cars on the road. HOV lanes, carpools, vanpools, and employer sponsored commute trip reduction plans all reduce the number of drive-alone trips, so our roads can carry more people in the same space and quickly get us where we need to go.

Some interesting facts...
In 2003, the State's Commute Trip Reduction program (employer programs to encourage employees to get to work in other ways than driving alone) took 19,000 cars off the roads each weekday morning. During peak traffic times the HOV lanes on Interstate 5 north of Seattle carry more people per lane than any single adjacent lane.

Zipcar, a company that parks dozens of cars around parts of the central Puget Sound region and lets members use them by the hour (gas, insurance and parking included), did a membership survey in 2005 showing that each Flexcar vehicle replaces an average of ten privately owned cars and 63% of Flexcar members have sold a car, considered selling a car, or avoided buying one. Programs like these are important ways to reduce the number of cars on the road. More car-reduction facts!

Car-reduction Links...
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Demand Management overview
WSDOT Commute Trip Reduction Program overview
WSDOT HOV Lane site
Calculate your cost of driving!
Zipcar

For those interested in green cars and alternative fuels...
Green Car Congress
National Biodiesel Board
Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition