TA Explains: What Does ‘Vehicle Miles Traveled’ Mean?
Let’s talk about “vehicle miles traveled,” aka VMT.
VMT measures the total number of miles traveled by all vehicles — a way of calculating traffic. In the congestion pricing zone, there are 70% more vehicle miles traveled than the city average.
What does this mean?
Well, all that traffic leads to serious consequences for people in the congestion pricing zone.
Compared to the citywide average, there are:
46% more serious injuries
21% slower bus speeds
19% more air pollution
We see a connection between high VMT and negative outcomes elsewhere in NYC:
Six of the top 10 most congested community boards also have the slowest buses.
The 10 most polluted CBs have 50% more traffic.
The 10 CBs with the most serious injuries have 25% more traffic.
The congestion concentration is shocking. The most congested district (Manhattan CB 6) sees nearly 15x vehicle miles driven as the least congested district (Staten Island CB 3), even though Manhattan CB 6 has fewer residents.
At the same time, residents living in high-traffic districts are way less likely to drive themselves.
Compared to the citywide average, commuters in the top 10 districts are:
44% less likely to own a car
86% more likely to bike to work
93% more likely to walk to work
This is amplified in the congestion pricing zone. Residents there are:
54% less likely to own a car
72% less likely to drive to work
144% more likely to bike work
175% more likely to walk to work
In other words: the New Yorkers who suffer from serious injuries, pollution, and slow bus speeds aren't the ones creating the congestion. We need congestion pricing now.
