Frustrating traffic backups on Interstate 66, Interstate 95 and other area roadways won’t disappear anytime soon. But some interesting transportation trends and factors are slowing the increase of “vehicle miles of travel,” the total amount of travel on area roads at all times of the day.

An aging population, boosts in teleworking, smart development and pedal power have contributed to slowing the increase in total travel on roadways over the past 10 years, despite declines in Metrorail ridership.

“In spite of pretty substantial regional growth in population and employment, we’re actually seeing fairly flat increases in vehicle miles of travel,” said Timothy Canan, planning data and research program director for Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Transportation Planning Board.
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