Keys to Unlocking Gridlock in Virginia

John B. Townsend IIManager of Public and Government Affairs

AAA Mid-Atlantic

The Eagle Flies on Friday: The Eagle Flies on Friday: The “Friday Effect”The “Friday Effect”

Keys to Unlocking Gridlock in Keys to Unlocking Gridlock in Northern VirginiaNorthern Virginia

Presented by: John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Presented by: John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-AtlanticAtlantic

Gridlock DefinedGridlock Defined

A traffic jam in A traffic jam in which no vehicular which no vehicular movement is movement is possiblepossible especially when key especially when key

intersections within intersections within a city grid are a city grid are blockedblocked

Origin of GridlockOrigin of Gridlock

First appeared in traffic lingo during First appeared in traffic lingo during NYC transit strike in 1980NYC transit strike in 1980

Coined by traffic engineer “Gridlock Coined by traffic engineer “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz who borrowed it from Sam” Schwartz who borrowed it from his colleague Roy Cottamhis colleague Roy Cottam

Cottam feared traffic would “lock-up” Cottam feared traffic would “lock-up” if certain streets were closedif certain streets were closed

How Bad is Area Gridlock?How Bad is Area Gridlock?

Texas Transportation Institute ranked Texas Transportation Institute ranked DC metro second to LA (2009)DC metro second to LA (2009)

INRIX ranked DC fourth worst in nation INRIX ranked DC fourth worst in nation (2009)(2009) Travel times in DC increase while travel Travel times in DC increase while travel

times nationwide decline to low point times nationwide decline to low point during the recession a soaring gas pricesduring the recession a soaring gas prices

Transportation Planning Board showed Transportation Planning Board showed 3% decrease in gridlock (2008)3% decrease in gridlock (2008)

Average Daily CommuteAverage Daily Commute

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

DC

MD

VA

DC: 30.1 minutesDC: 30.1 minutes

MD: 31.1 minutesMD: 31.1 minutes

VA: 26.8 minutesVA: 26.8 minutes

Commute In Minutes

By the NumbersBy the Numbers

1.7 million workers drive alone each 1.7 million workers drive alone each dayday

Average motorists loses 62 hours a Average motorists loses 62 hours a year stuck in trafficyear stuck in traffic

Rush hour costs motorists $1,207 a Rush hour costs motorists $1,207 a yearyear

Tale of the Tape in NOVATale of the Tape in NOVA

Nearly 300K trips occur on I-95 South daily.Nearly 300K trips occur on I-95 South daily. NOVA houses most heavily traveled NOVA houses most heavily traveled

corridorscorridors I-95/I-395 and I-495 (carry between 200K – 300K I-95/I-395 and I-495 (carry between 200K – 300K

vehicles per day).vehicles per day).

Longest delay: the evening rush hour on I-Longest delay: the evening rush hour on I-495 Inner Loop (VA 7 to I-270 Spur).495 Inner Loop (VA 7 to I-270 Spur).

Area DemographicsArea Demographics

12,300 lane miles of 12,300 lane miles of roadway (9.8% of roadway (9.8% of state totalstate total

46.3 million daily vehicle 46.3 million daily vehicle miles of travel (21% miles of travel (21% of state total)of state total)

1.7 of 7.5 million state 1.7 of 7.5 million state registered vehicles registered vehicles (23.4% of state total)(23.4% of state total)

27% of state 27% of state population population

29% of state 29% of state workforceworkforce

75% of state transit 75% of state transit ridersriders

Snow TKOSnow TKO

Dumped 3 trillion lbs of snow on DC metro areaDumped 3 trillion lbs of snow on DC metro area Caused limited to no visibility and extremely Caused limited to no visibility and extremely

dangerous driving conditionsdangerous driving conditions Stopped transportation including airports, area Stopped transportation including airports, area

highways, Amtrak and Metrohighways, Amtrak and Metro Shut down federal government offices (with a Shut down federal government offices (with a

price tag of $100 million/day – a half billion price tag of $100 million/day – a half billion dollars over 5 days)dollars over 5 days)

Created chokepoints when government reopenedCreated chokepoints when government reopened

Courtesy: blog.masslive.comCourtesy: farm5.static.flickr.com

The Eagle Flies on FridayThe Eagle Flies on Friday

'They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad

They call it stormy Monday, but Tuesday's just as bad

Wednesday's worse, and Thursday's also sad.

Yes the eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play

Eagle flies on Friday, and Saturday I go out to play

Sunday I go to church, then I kneel down and pray.’

The “Friday Effect”The “Friday Effect”

Workers anticipate this last day of the Workers anticipate this last day of the week as it is often paydayweek as it is often payday

Most burn a lot of their paychecks on Most burn a lot of their paychecks on gas while stuck in Friday evening trafficgas while stuck in Friday evening traffic

5-6 PM is the busiest evening peak hour 5-6 PM is the busiest evening peak hour on Friday nationwideon Friday nationwide

60 minute commutes are ten or more 60 minute commutes are ten or more minutes longer because of the gridlockminutes longer because of the gridlock

GMU Trip Reduction StudyGMU Trip Reduction Study Travel times on Travel times on

Friday 2.43-4.42% Friday 2.43-4.42% lower during AM lower during AM peak hour than peak hour than other work daysother work days

Findings support Findings support “Friday Effect” that “Friday Effect” that traffic is lighter on traffic is lighter on Friday compared to Friday compared to other week daysother week days

AM peak hour AM peak hour traffic is 1.6% traffic is 1.6% lighter on Friday lighter on Friday than other work than other work daysdays

Keys to Unlocking GridlockKeys to Unlocking Gridlock

Allow eligible Allow eligible employees to employees to telework telework Saves workers 602 Saves workers 602

million miles of million miles of travel and $807 travel and $807 million in commuting million in commuting costscosts

Each teleworker in Each teleworker in VA could receive VA could receive an $1800 annual an $1800 annual raiseraise

Employees gain 46 Employees gain 46 hours back per hours back per year by year by teleworking one a teleworking one a weekweek

Impact of TelecommutingImpact of Telecommuting Shorter travel times on Shorter travel times on

Friday Friday ““Flextime” and Flextime” and

telecommuting are key telecommuting are key factorsfactors

Less miles traveled Less miles traveled and annual raisesand annual raises

Employees more Employees more productiveproductive

Saved federal Saved federal government $30 government $30 million/day during million/day during back-to-back snow back-to-back snow stormsstorms

Political Champions of Political Champions of GridlockGridlock

VA Congressman VA Congressman Gerry Connolly, Jim Gerry Connolly, Jim Moran, Rob Wittman Moran, Rob Wittman and Frank Wolf and Frank Wolf support teleworkingsupport teleworking Backed H.R. 1722 – Backed H.R. 1722 –

The Telework The Telework Improvements Act of Improvements Act of 2010 when introduced 2010 when introduced by MD Congressman by MD Congressman John SarbanesJohn Sarbanes

H.R. 1722 would have H.R. 1722 would have required a uniform required a uniform telework policytelework policy Killed in a party-line Killed in a party-line

votevote Unlikely to be re-Unlikely to be re-

addressed since addressed since similar legislation died similar legislation died in 2008 in 2008

Telecommuting WorksTelecommuting Works

Reduces gridlockReduces gridlock Reduces Reduces

aggressive driving aggressive driving and road rageand road rage

Lessens air Lessens air pollutionpollution

Improves Improves employee moralemployee moral

Enhances quality of Enhances quality of lifelife

Takes cars off roadTakes cars off road Eliminates Eliminates

commuting and commuting and gas costsgas costs

Empowers workersEmpowers workers

AAA Goes Green with AAA Goes Green with TelecommutingTelecommuting

Hiring telecommuters as call-takers, Hiring telecommuters as call-takers, counselors and remote call center agentscounselors and remote call center agents

Eliminates 140 tons of carbon emissions Eliminates 140 tons of carbon emissions per yearper year

THANK YOU!