Cars clogging highways more, data shows; local lawmakers eye solutions
EVERETT — More cars on Washington’s highways have local lawmakers looking for ways to encourage other modes of transportation.
Washington drivers logged 34.2 billion miles on state highways last year, according to state data released this month. While that is only a 1.2% increase from 2021, all of that wear and tear is affecting the economy and traffic. On state highways in the central Puget Sound region, delays were up 35% from the previous year.
Heavy travel on the roads is a sign of an economy bouncing back from the pandemic, said Sreenath Gangula, a transportation safety and systems analyst at the state Department of Transportation.
“However, more miles traveled can mean increased congestion, travel delays and greenhouse gas emissions,” he wrote in an email.
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