HRTPO recently released the draft Annual Roadway Performance Report – 2017 Edition.  The report includes a large amount of information on the performance of the roadway system in Hampton Roads, including:

Tables andMaps -The average weekday traffic volumes, average roadway travel speeds, and peak period roadway congestion levels are shown for each major roadway in Hampton Roads. 

Peak Period Regional Congestion Levels - Among major roadways, 6% of the lane-miles[1] in Hampton Roads are severely congested during the morning peak travel period.  Another 12% of lane-miles are moderately congested, and 82% experience low to moderate congestion levels.

Roadway congestion levels are much higher during the afternoon peak travel period, with 14% of lane-miles experiencing severe congestion during the afternoon peak travel period, 17% experiencing moderate congestion, and 69% experiencing low to moderate congestion. 

Another way to analyze congestion levels is from the perspective of the driver, based on the amount of travel in the region.  During the morning peak travel period, 12% of roadway travel occurs in severely congested conditions.  During the afternoon peak period, this percentage increases to 22% of roadway travel.

Peak Period Travel Times on Major Corridors - HRTPO staff also looked at how peak period travel times on a number of major corridors have changed over the last few years.  In some corridors, travel times have increased greatly.  As an example, peak period travel times have increased at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT).  In the eastbound direction, travel times during the morning peak period increased from 15.3 minutes in 2013 to 22.1 minutes in 2016, an increase of nearly 7 minutes.  During the afternoon peak period, travel times increased from 15.6 minutes in 2013 to 18.9 minutes in 2016, although there was a small decrease over the last year.

In the westbound direction, afternoon peak period travel times increased at the HRBT from 19.7 minutes in 2013 to 26.5 minutes in 2016, an increase of nearly 7 minutes.

The draft version of the HRTPO Annual Roadway Performance Report – 2017 Edition is available for public review and comment through August 16, 2017.  You may access the draft report by clicking on the following link:

Draft HRTPO Annual Roadway Performance Report

All interested parties are encouraged to review the draft report and send comments to Keith Nichols at knichols@hrtpo.org.