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Congestion: It Costs
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the two largest household expenses are housing and transportation. As families move further out from a city’s central core, they face certain trade-offs. The Center of Housing and Policy found that, for every dollar saved on housing costs, a family spends $.77 in added transportation costs. This means that, when an individual’s commute exceeds 15 miles, any housing savings are wiped out.
In Austin, an estimated 450,000 commuters use the city roads each day, with 33% of them starting trips from outside the city limits. Typically, road expansion is the solution, but Austin doesn’t have the rights of way necessary for it.
The city is developing its first long-range transportation plan in more than 20 years. The plan, which will undergo approval by city council in early 2018, will make recommendations including bicycle, sidewalk and transit network improvements.
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