The cost of traffic congestion

The cost of traffic congestion is seen in accidents, travel times and air quality.

For most Bay Area drivers, freeways are becoming increasingly congested and at different times of day. Traffic congestion is no longer limited to rush hour, as delays worsen outside of traditional commute times and on weekends; in fact, weekday morning commute congestion is down, but traffic has grown enough at midday and evenings to make up for overall congestion levels.

MTC is working on Transit-Oriented Communities (TOCs) as one way to address congestion. It enables people to access and use transit more often for more types of trips by centering housing, jobs, services and shopping around public transit. They are places where people of all ages, abilities, income levels, and racial and ethnic backgrounds can live, work and thrive.

MTC’s TOC Policy is just one piece of Plan Bay Area 2050+, the region’s long-range plan for transportation, housing, the economy and the environment. The TOC Policy supports two high-impact Plan Bay Area strategies that will help the region reach ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions