Traffic got slightly worse in 2014, but transit, MnPASS may help
Twin Cities metro traffic congestion increased by one percent in 2014 over the previous year, according to a Minnesota Department of Transportation report released Thursday. MnDOT defines congestion as highway traffic moving at 45 miles per hour or less.
The 2014 Metropolitan Freeway System Congestion Report shows just over a fifth, or 21.1 percent of the metro's freeway miles are congested which is slightly higher than in 2013, at 19.9 percent.
"The average Minnesota commuter spends 34 hours a year in congestion," according to the report, "with no new transportation investment, that time is expected to grow to 45 hours a year by 2025."
The MnDOT report comes amid disagreement at the Legislature over funding for Minnesota roads, bridges and transit projects.
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Gov. Mark Dayton and Senate Democrats have proposed raising gas taxes to pay for a $10 billion transportation funding package for road, bridge and transit projects over 10 years. The proposal also would increase the number of MnPASS Express lanes.
House Republicans continue to argue for use of revenue from existing taxes to fix the roads. The GOP would spend some of the state's $1.9 million budget surplus and taxes on auto parts, leased vehicles and rental cars, totaling $200 million a year, to fund transportation projects.
MnDOT also said public transit ridership was up by 3.5 percent in 2014 over the previous year, according to figures by the Metropolitan Council, and represents the largest increase 30 years. The agency said commuters' use of transit and MnPASS lanes have probably eased congestion.
"The recent congestion figures confirm that congestion strategies we have in place are helping," said Brian Kary, MnDOT freeway operations engineer. "Still, more needs to be done to alleviate congestion for the traveling public."
The Regional Transportation Management Center collects data from 5,500 surveillance detectors that operate on 90 percent of metro freeways. The report is based on information gathered last October from detectors embedded in "mainline roadways."
October is considered an ideal month for measuring traffic because it's not as likely to be affected by bad weather, road construction or vacations.