Tri-Cities US 395 and SR 240 - Severe congestion
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Measures of severe congestion on the US 395 and SR 240 corridors in the Tri-Cities
Severe congestion
Severe congestion occurs when highway travel speeds are slower than 60% of the posted speed (about 36 mph for a 60 mph speed limit). During this situation, vehicle speeds and spacing decrease along with reduced highway efficiency well below maximum productivity. See WSDOT's how to calculate severe congestion(PDF 5.9MB).
Sources: WSDOT Transportation Safety and Systems Analysis Division and WSDOT TRACFLOW (https://tracflow.wsdot.wa.gov/)
Multi-year trends
In 2022, severe congestion continued to increase compared to 2021 due to the ongoing recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19. Severe congestion at some locations in 2022 was worse than the pre-pandemic level.
In 2020, due to the statewide response to COVID-19, there was a significant decrease in severe congestion compared to previous years.
From 2018 to 2019, the commute on US 395 from Kennewick to Pasco experienced a slight decrease. The SR 240 Stevens Road to I-182's evening commute traffic was almost unchanged from 2018 to 2019.
Annual highlights
In 2022, severe congestion in general increased compared to 2021, due to the ongoing recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19, and even worse than pre-pandemic level on some corridors. In 2022, commuters from Kennewick to Pasco on US 395 experienced similar severe congestion (speeds of 36 mph or less) compared to 2021.
Commuters from Stevens Road to I-182 on SR 240 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2022, which increased slightly compared to 2021.
In 2021, severe congestion increased compared to 2020 and reached almost to the 2019 level, due to the recovery of traffic volume in the wake of COVID-19. In 2021, commuters from Kennewick to Pasco on US 395 experienced a significant increase in severe congestion (speeds of 36 mph or less) compared to 2020.
Commuters from Stevens Road to I-182 on SR 240 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2021, a significant increase compared to 2020.
In 2020, due to the statewide response to COVID-19 there was significant decrease in severe congestion compared to previous years. Commuters from Kennewick to Pasco on US 395 experienced significant reductions in severe congestion (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2020, compared to 2019.
Commuters from Stevens Road to I-182 on SR 240 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2020 also experienced significant reduction compared to 2019.
Commuters from Kennewick to Pasco on US 395 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2019 is similar to that in 2018.
Commuters from Stevens Road to I-182 on SR 240 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) in 2019 is similar to that in 2018.
Commuters from Kennewick to Pasco on US 395 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) less often in 2018 than in 2017. For example, at 5:15 p.m. speeds on this commute were below 36 mph on 55% of weekdays in 2018—a down from 68% of weekdays in 2017.
Commuters from Stevens Road to I-182 on SR 240 traveled in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) less often in 2018 than in 2017. For example, at 4:40 p.m. speeds on this commute were below 36 mph on 74% of weekdays in 2018—down from 82% of weekdays in 2017.