TRANSPORTATION:

Report says Las Vegas traffic getting worse, bucking national trend

Steve Marcus / Sun File Photo

A view of the Spaghetti Bowl interchange taken from a KLAS-TV helicopter in 2006. The Spaghetti Bowl is where State Route 564, I-215, I-515, U.S Route 93 and U.S Route 95 converge. Las Vegas’ record growth and the ensuing traffic problems created the necessity for interchanges and bypasses like the Spaghetti Bowl.

By Kyle Hansen (contact)

Published Wednesday, July 8, 2009 | 12:54 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, July 8, 2009 | 5:45 p.m.

Lowered speed limit another reason to slow down at Red Rock (7-8-2009)

Drivers nationwide are spending less time stuck in rush-hour traffic for a second straight year, but in Las Vegas commutes have gotten worse, according to a report released Wednesday.

The average U.S. driver languished in rush-hour traffic for 36.1 hours in 2007, down from 36.6 hours in 2006 and a peak of 37.4 hours in 2005, according to the study by the Texas Transportation Institute. Total wasted fuel also edged lower for the first time, from 2.85 billion gallons in 2006 to 2.81 billion, or roughly three weeks' worth of gas per traveler.

But in Las Vegas, the average annual delay per traveler was 44 hours, tying the region with Baltimore and Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., for 14th place.

The delays in 2007 for Las Vegas were up one hour from the previous year, but are up 33 hours since 1982, when the records began to be kept.

The report estimates that each traveler in Las Vegas wasted 30 gallons of gas in 2007 and that congestion costs people and businesses $705 million, the 30th highest cost in the country.

Nationally, this is the first two-year decline in congestion as high gas prices and the economic downturn force many Americans to change how they commute.

In other cities, Los Angeles traffic is getting better but is still the worst in the nation. Washington's is getting worse, now ranking second.

The last time traffic congestion had declined was in 1991 amid a spike in oil prices during the first Gulf War.

This time, demographers attributed the decrease to a historic cutback in driving as commuters reduced solo trips, took public transit or carpooled after gas prices surged toward $4 a gallon and then the economy faltered. The housing downturn beginning in 2006 also has played a factor by reducing U.S. migration to far-flung residential exurbs.

But it won't last, assuming the economy recovers.

"Congestion won't be as bad as before for a while, but it will still be very frustrating, very unreliable and it will take a lot of time out of your day," said Tim Lomax, researcher at the Texas Transportation Institute, which is part of Texas A&M University. "The average traveler still needs 25 percent more time for their rush-hour trips."

The Los Angeles metropolitan area, with its car pool lanes and emerging mass transit, shed two hours of wait-time in rush-hour traffic. Still, its sprawling freeway system remained the nation's worst for congestion, with drivers wasting an average of 70 hours in 2007.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

By annienonymouse

7/9/09 at 6:35 a.m.

Suggest removal

"The report estimates that each traveler in Las Vegas wasted 30 gallons of gas in 2007 and that congestion costs people and businesses $705 million, the 30th highest cost in the country."

I would venture to guess that this is the direct cause of all the orange construction barrels and cones on the highways and surface streets. Was that built into the study?
By Katie

7/9/09 at 6:45 a.m.

Suggest removal

Mass transit: NON EXISTENT in Las Vegas; but they can talk about building a high speed train to nowhere. Who wants to take 2 hrs each way to work every day by waiting for buses - in the summer???? More people, I'm sure, would take public transportation if they didn't have to pack snacks and a change of clothes since it takes so long to get where they are going.

Road Construction: Why is there road construction being done on major streets going in the same direction AT THE SAME TIME???(ie Washington, Vegas Dr/Owens, Lake Mead Blvd, Martin Luther King at all these intersections) Unless you want to go a few miles out of your way, you are stuck in "Right/Left Lane Closed" traffic for a ridiculous amount of time. Let's not even talk about the "Lane Closed" signs that appear at the last minute, which causes two lanes of traffic trying to converge into one right before a major intersection (MLK as stated above). Again, no planning on the part of the "powers that be".

Road Construction COnes and no road construction going on, sometimes for weeks and even months.

We finally get newly paved streets after this "road construction" is finished only to have them dug up again within WEEKS of the new paving.

Las Vegas is very easy to get around in. Nothing is more than 30 minutes away from any part of town because the streets are done very efficiently.....however, with road construction everywhere - that time frame is a fantasy.
By timemist

7/9/09 at 7:33 a.m.

Suggest removal

I use to go to the Strip often but I quit because of the horrible traffic. I still can't figure out why they started all construction at the same time. So no matter which way you go you are stuck in this dangerous traffic. It makes you want to just visit the neighborhood casinos, and stay away from the 15 and 215 and the 95.Poor decision on the city to do all at one time.
By VegasVeniceDude

7/9/09 at 10:20 a.m.

Suggest removal

Supposedly there has to be a certain amount of highway construction in the state to qualify for Federal highway funds. But having construction on the 95, 215 and 15 (in 2 places!) is absolutely stupid and completely unnecessary.

City planners back in the '90's did an excellent job forecasting and building for the explosive growth we've experienced in the last decade. But now those roads are constantly all torn up, few to no workers are out there, but somebody is getting paid. Thus, our traffic snarl.

What construction company has this sweet inside gig rubber stamped by the City Council?