The researchers at the Texas Transportation Institute have recently published new estimates of the effects of traffic congestion. Nearly 3 billion gallons of fuel is wasted each year due to traffic congestion. In 2007, the amount of wasted fuel declined slightly due to an overall decline in vehicle miles traveled when fuel prices skyrocketed. The wasted fuel amounts to 1.6% of total highway fuel use in 2007.
Total Fuel Wasted Due to Congestion, 1982-2007
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Supporting Information
| Year | Billion Gallons of Fuel Wasted | Wasted Share of Total Highway Fuel Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 0.5 | 0.4% |
| 1983 | 0.5 | 0.4% |
| 1984 | 0.6 | 0.5% |
| 1985 | 0.7 | 0.6% |
| 1986 | 0.8 | 0.6% |
| 1987 | 0.9 | 0.7% |
| 1988 | 1.1 | 0.8% |
| 1989 | 1.2 | 0.9% |
| 1990 | 1.3 | 1.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3 | 1.0% |
| 1992 | 1.4 | 1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.5 | 1.1% |
| 1994 | 1.5 | 1.1% |
| 1995 | 1.7 | 1.2% |
| 1996 | 1.8 | 1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.9 | 1.3% |
| 1998 | 2.0 | 1.3% |
| 1999 | 2.1 | 1.3% |
| 2000 | 2.2 | 1.4% |
| 2001 | 2.3 | 1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.4 | 1.4% |
| 2003 | 2.5 | 1.5% |
| 2004 | 2.7 | 1.6% |
| 2005 | 2.9 | 1.6% |
| 2006 | 2.9 | 1.7% |
| 2007 | 2.8 | 1.6% |
Source: Texas Transportation Institute, 2009 Urban Mobility Report, July 2009. | ||