Development of Comprehensive Roadmap and Resource Guide Towards Congestion Reduction [Brief]

Traffic congestion has become an increasingly critical issue across the United States, disrupting transportation networks and impacting society in ways that extend beyond mobility. Congestion contributes to declining public health, reduced quality of life, and environmental concerns such as pollution, noise, and stress (Meyer, 1997). Nationally, travel delays rose from 5.1 billion hours in 2000 to 8.7 billion hours in 2019, while fuel waste increased from 2.4 billion gallons to 3.5 billion gallons over the same period. Similarly, excess greenhouse gas emissions escalated from 25 million tons to 36 million tons, and the total economic cost of congestion more than doubled, surging from $77 billion to $190 billion. Truck congestion costs also grew significantly, rising from $7 billion to $20 billion. While these figures temporarily declined in 2020 due to COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, data indicates a rebound by the end of the year (Schrank et al., 2021). Furthermore, congestion patterns vary by roadway type, geographic location, and time of day, with cities, counties, and metropolitan areas experiencing different levels of congestion.