of State the

2014 of State the

2014 2014 STATE of the COMMUTE

The annual SANDAG State of the Commute report brings together a range of data that assess commute travel characteristics in the region, giving readers a general sense for the overall condition of the transportation system. The report supports the agency’s efforts to understand just how well the region’s transportation system is performing. It also helps identify opportunities to maximize system efficiency, sustain regional mobility, and track the benefits of transportation improvements.

The 2014 State of the Commute provides an update of transportation performance data through December 2014. It focuses on regional travel trends, key system performance indicators, and corridor-level performance indicators. The information reveals trends and changes in highway and transit travel, highway commute travel times, and highway system performance. These statistics are evaluated to document where – and how much – change has occurred from regional, system, and corridor perspectives.

Accordingly, the State of the Commute is organized into three distinct sections:

Getting Around the Region – This section provides an overview of regional travel trends. It quantifies traffic flows on our freeways, as well as transit ridership levels. It also lays the groundwork for future reporting on walking, biking, and other commute modes.

How is the System Working? – This section provides performance statistics, including regional and corridor travel performance data and information on the most heavily used transit routes.

My Corridor Commute – This section analyzes the performance of a number of specific travel corridors in the region. It measures progress relative to benchmarks set for usage, travel times, and other key statistics, highlighting completed or planned projects designed to reduce congestion and minimize delay.

In general, data in the 2014 State of the Commute report indicates that use of the transportation system increased as compared to 2013, with various factors influencing how commuters get to work. Overall travel by public transit in the region rose by 4.5 percent (quantified by passenger miles traveled) in comparison to 2013. Weekday travel on the region’s highways, quantified by vehicle miles traveled (VMT), increased by 2.4 percent in 2014. This growth is not surprising as there is a strong historical correlation between the state of the economy and VMT. Typically, when there is job growth, as the region has seen in recent years, the amount of vehicle miles traveled on local roadways increases. In 2014, employment increased by 2.4 percent, the same percentage as VMT. Due to the increase in VMT, as well as construction activities in some key corridors, traffic delay during peak commute periods also went up in 2014. But the amount of freeway delay commuters experienced in 2014 is still below pre-recession levels. Recent transportation infrastructure improvements are playing a critical role in helping the region keep pace with economic growth.

1 In 2014, SANDAG, the Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) completed several roadway infrastructure and transit improvements in the region. Two projects to add High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes were completed on Interstate 805 (I-805) in the first quarter of 2014, providing new mobility choices for commuters. Three new transit services – two along the Interstate 15 (I-15) corridor and one in the Mid-City area of San Diego – also launched in the region in 2014. Rapid 235 between Escondido and Downtown San Diego began service in June. A few months later in October, Rapid 237 between Rancho Bernardo and UC San Diego came on line, following the completion of the Miramar College Transit Center and Mira Mesa Direct Access Ramp (DAR). Around the same