Central Puget Sound Interstate 90 - Dashboard


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Performance indicators for the I-90 corridor in the central Puget Sound region

Indicators

This dashboard shows three multimodal performance indicators for Interstate 90 in the central Puget Sound region:

  1. Annual general purpose (GP) lane person miles traveled
  2. Annual GP vehicle delay
  3. Percentage of park and ride spaces occupied.

For details on the methodology used to calculate person miles traveled and vehicle delay, refer to WSDOT's Handbook for Corridor Capacity Evaluation (PDF 5.9MB).

Sources: WSDOT Transportation Safety and Systems Analysis Division and WSDOT TRACFLOW (https://tracflow.wsdot.wa.gov/)
Note: Park & Rides utilization rates data will no longer be available from 2020.

Multi-year trends

In 2022, annual GP person miles traveled and vehicle delay continued to increase compared to 2021, due to the ongoing recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19. However, person miles traveled and delay were still lower than the pre-pandemic levels.

In 2020, due to the statewide response to COVID-19—which sought to limit travel to essential trips—annual GP person miles traveled decreased considerably in 2020 and there was no delay.

From 2018 through 2019, the central Puget Sound region experienced substantial economic growth and increases in employment, which resulted in more commuters. During this time, rapidly increasing housing prices caused many Washingtonians in this region to move further from their workplaces to find affordable housing; many of these people commute on I-90. Annual GP person miles traveled increased between 2018 and 2019. Annual GP vehicle delay decreased over the same period, likely due at least in part to the June 2017 opening of the HOV lanes between Seattle and Bellevue.

Traffic on the I-90 corridor is heavily influenced by congestion on the major north/south routes: I-5 and I-405. When these routes are congested, traffic backs up onto I-90, resulting in delays.

Annual highlights

In 2022, annual GP person miles traveled and vehicle delay increased compared to 2021, due to the ongoing recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19. Nearly 437 million person miles were traveled in the GP lanes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, up 6% from 413 million in 2021. Travelers on this corridor experienced 15,000 hours of vehicle delay in 2022, up 36% from 11,000 hours in 2021.

In 2021, annual GP person miles traveled and vehicle delay increased from 2020, due to the recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19. Nearly 413 million person miles were traveled in the GP lanes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, up 10% from 377 million in 2020. Travelers on this corridor experienced 11 thousand hours of vehicle delay in 2021, up from no delay in 2020

In 2020, the statewide response to COVID-19 resulted in a significant reduction in GP person miles traveled and annual delay. Nearly 377 million person miles were traveled in the GP lanes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, down over 26% from 512 million in 2019. Travelers on this corridor experienced no vehicle delay in 2020, down from 222,000 in 2019.

In 2019, about 512 million person miles were traveled in the GP lanes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, up 1% from 506 million in 2018. Travelers on this corridor experienced 222,000 hours of vehicle delay in 2019, down 17% from 222,000 in 2018. Approximately 86% of available parking spaces at Park & Ride lots on this corridor were occupied in 2019, up from 82% in 2018.

In 2018, approximately 506 million person miles were traveled in the GP lanes on I-90 between Seattle and Bellevue, up 1% from 501 million in 2017. Travelers on this corridor experienced 266,000 hours of vehicle delay in 2018, up 15% from 231,000 in 2017. Approximately 82% of available parking spaces at Park & Ride lots on this corridor were occupied in 2018, down from 99% in 2017.

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