Vancouver region State Route 14 - Severe congestion
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Measures of severe congestion on the SR 14 corridor in the Vancouver region
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/)
Note: Source data collection devices were updated in 2017.
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. However, severe congestion on westbound SR-14 in 2022 was still lower 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.
Between 2018 and 2019, severe congestion on the SR 14 corridor in the Vancouver region increased substantially in the westbound direction.
Annual highlights
In 2022, travelers experienced more severe congestion during the morning commute in the westbound direction compared to 2021. For example, at 7:45 a.m. speeds on SR 14 from Camas to the I-5 Interchange were below 36 mph on 3.6% of weekdays in 2022—up from 0.4% of weekdays in 2021.
In 2021, travelers experienced slightly less severe congestion during the morning commute in the westbound direction compared to 2020. Severe congestion during the evening commute in this direction did not change compared to 2020. For example, at 7:45 a.m. speeds on SR 14 from Camas to the I-5 Interchange were below 36 mph on less than 0.4% of weekdays in 2021—down from 2.3% of weekdays in 2020.
In 2020, due to the statewide response to COVID-19, there was a significant decrease in severe congestion compared to previous years. Commuters driving on SR 14 from Camas to the I-5 Interchange experienced almost no severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less).
Commuters driving on SR 14 from Camas to the I-5 Interchange drove in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) more often in 2019 than in 2018. For example, at 7:45 a.m. speeds on this commute were below 36 mph on 10.9% of weekdays in 2019—up from 4.2% of weekdays in 2018.
Commuters driving on SR 14 between Camas and the I-5 Interchange drove in severely congested conditions (speeds of 36 mph or less) less often in 2018 than in 2017. For example, at 7:30 a.m. speeds on this commute were below 36 mph on 3.7% of weekdays in 2018—down from 15.1% of weekdays in 2017.