Fixing Houston's Worst Traffic Bottlenecks Would Yield $18B in Benefits
13 April 2000
Fixing Houston's Worst Traffic Bottlenecks Would Yield $18 Billion in Economic Benefits, Study Finds American Highway Users Alliance Documents Savings in
Personal Time, Commercial Time, Fuel, Safety and Environment
WASHINGTON, April 13 A report released today by the
American Highway Users Alliance finds that Houston-area residents and
commuters would reap a total of $18 billion in economic benefits if needed
improvements were made on the US-59 (Southwest Freeway) at the I-610 Loop
Interchange and the I-610 at the I-10 Interchange. Completing those
improvements would result in individual savings for commuters using the
bottlenecks of up to $954 per year, according to the report.
At a time when consumers are feeling the pinch of both the April 15 tax
deadline and soaring gas prices, the data from the Highway Users' report shows
the value of investing in improving America's traffic bottlenecks. The study
details the substantial payoff to businesses and consumers from completing
congestion-busting highway projects -- not only in gas savings, but in reduced
environmental emissions, fewer traffic accidents, and time savings.
The report, Saving Time, Saving Money: The Economics of Unclogging
America's Worst Bottlenecks, assesses the economic impact of the impressive
gains from bottleneck improvements identified in Unclogging America's
Arteries: Prescriptions for Healthier Highways, a 1999 report performed by
Cambridge Systematics for the Highway Users. According to the report, Saving
Time, Saving Money "gives transportation officials, policy makers and the
public a clearer understanding of the significant social and economic rewards
to be reaped by improving traffic flow at key choke points."
Unclogging America's Arteries identified and analyzed the 166 worst
bottlenecks in America, and included two from the Houston area in its list of
the top 17 bottlenecks in the country. Saving Time, Saving Money has taken
those findings the next step and assigned monetary values to the time and fuel
savings, safety improvements and environmental benefits.
"This report shows that these bottlenecks aren't just a nuisance, but a
major drain on Houston's economy and the personal productivity of its
citizens," said Harris County Judge Robert Eckels. "With so much to be
gained, we need to find a way to streamline the process so that everyone can
begin reaping these benefits."
The report points out that commuters and citizens nationwide would enjoy
more than $336 billion in economic benefits from improvements to the nation's
worst bottlenecks. The average commuter traveling through one of these 166
worst bottlenecks twice each workday could expect to save approximately $345
each year in time and fuel alone, if improvements were made.
"We need to move quickly to fix these bottlenecks," Eckels said. "The
opportunity cost of delays -- in wasted time and fuel, highway accidents, and
tailpipe emissions that could be avoided if improvements were completed now
rather than later -- is staggering." The report estimates that a three-year
delay in undertaking needed improvements to the 166 bottlenecks yields an
opportunity cost of nearly $30 billion.
"The good news, however," Eckels continued, "is that there's hope for curing
congestion on our highways -- which will save lives, improve the environment
and create more free time to spend with our families and friends."
Note: The attached fact sheet provides a breakdown of the savings from
improvements to Houston's traffic bottlenecks. Details on the methodology for
deriving the figures are included in the report, which is available at
http://www.highways.org .
HOUSTON FACT SHEET
From "Saving Time, Saving Money"
American Highway Users Alliance Study
April 13, 2000
Bottleneck descriptions at a glance
US-59, known locally as the Southwest Freeway, runs from Laredo on the
Mexican border through the center of downtown Houston. It is heavily used by
local and through traffic and, as a North American Free Trade Agreement trade
corridor linking Mexico, the industrial northeastern United States, and
Canada, carries a significant amount of truck traffic. It is also a major
commuter route between Fort Bend County and Houston. Fort Bend is projected to
grow at a rate faster than the rest of the region over the next 20 years.
Traffic volumes on US-59 through the interchange are the second highest in the
country. I-610 was Houston's original "beltway." With the construction of the
Sam Houston Parkway-a perimeter highway further out-I-610 now serves as an
inner beltway.
I-610 was Houston's original "beltway." With the construction of the Sam
Houston Parkway-a perimeter highway further out-it now serves as an inner
beltway. I-10, known locally as the Katy Freeway, is one of the nation's major
east-west interstates, running from California to Florida. It is also a major
commuter route to downtown Houston from both eastern and western suburbs.
Savings from Improvements
Listed below are the total economic benefits to be derived from
improvements to Houston's two worst bottlenecks. The economic values listed
for each of the bottlenecks are cumulative over the construction period and
the 20-year useful life of the project. The "individual savings" identify the
amount that a typical commuter traveling through the bottleneck twice each
workday would save in time and fuel.
US-59 (Southwest Freeway) at the I-610 Loop Interchange
Personal Time Savings: $5.8 billion
Commercial Time Savings: $2.5 billion
Fuel Savings: $890 million
Safety Savings: $710 million
Environmental Savings: $460 million (greenhouse gases)
$240 million (air pollution)
Total Savings: $11 billion
Individual Savings: $954/year for a typical commuter
Houston fact sheet, continued
I-610 Loop at the I-10 Interchange
Personal Time Savings: $3.8 billion
Commercial Time Savings: $1.6 billion
Fuel Savings: $580 million
Safety Savings: $540 million
Environmental Savings: $300 million (greenhouse gases)
$140 million (air pollution)
Total Savings: $7 billion
Individual Savings: $788/year for a typical commuter
