Defining and Locating Congestion Areas

Anticipated/Current Traffic Volume

Congestion can be defined by comparing the traffic volume anticipated or currently existing in an area to the theoretical roadway capacity. Where the volume is greater than the capacity, you will experience congestion during peak traffic flow.

Duration of Congestion on a Facility

Another way to define congestion is to consider the duration of congestion on a facility. In the downtown Atlanta area, for example, there is an average of two hours a day of congestion during each peak period. By considering the forecasted population and assuming no roadway improvements are implemented, the future congestion duration can be determined.

Congestion Facts

• Approximately 50% of the Vehicle Miles Traveled in Georgia and 75% of the congestion in Georgia occurs in Metro Atlanta
• This traffic congestion costs Metro Atlantans 101,169,000 person-hours of delay, equating to $2,021,000,000 in delay costs annually
• 52% of the total delay is non-recurring (incident) delay
  An incident can be a disabled vehicle, vehicle crash, or debris or spill in the roadway
• 48% of the congestion delay is normal recurring (volume) congestion