How are we doing?
San Diego's 2022 traffic conditions have regressed to pre-pandemic congestion levels, with solo driving remaining the dominant commute method. Despite a temporary decline in single drivers during COVID-19, public transportation use has not fully rebounded. Encouraging alternative commuting methods is vital to alleviate traffic and emissions.
Between 2021 and 2022, freeway vehicle miles traveled increased by 2.9%, and peak hour delays rose by 79% (AM) and 32% (PM). This impacts not only daily commutes but also access to essential services and activities. Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving overall quality of life, reducing travel time, fuel costs, and mitigating negative impacts on public health and the environment.
Rating: Worsening
Fewer people drove alone to work and transit ridership was in recovery
Related Indicators
- Housing
- Electric Vehicles
- SEEN
Planning roads, transit, and other infrastructure cannot be done without taking into consideration housing.
Want to learn more? Watch the Voice of San Diego's San Diego 101 video on the agency tasked with improving how we get around, the San Diego Association of Governments. San Diego 101 is a series from Voice of San Diego made to educate San Diegans about some of the most important issues that shape our region.
Why is transportation choice important?
High quality of life means the region boasts a thriving economy, a healthy environment, and is an equitable place for all San Diegans to grow and prosper.
Economy
A 2020 Gallup study found that consumers tend to feel more pessimistic about the economy when gas prices are higher. Drivers are acutely aware of prices and change their driving habits to conserve their gas tank where possible. Additionally, sitting in traffic uses fuel, increasing costs to drivers. On the other hand, a certain amount of traffic congestion can indicate a thriving regional economy. This is particularly visible in the San Diego border region, which oversees the transportation of consumer goods and materials. Still, strengthening the region’s alternative transportation connectivity and service quality could bolster consumer confidence. When residents feel they can rely on public transit, walkways, bikeways, and safer roads to reach their destination, they may feel more encouraged to frequent San Diego businesses. In this way, informed land use decisions can guide the post-pandemic, economic growth of the region.
Environment
Transportation infrastructure can disrupt local habitats and wildlife. Strategic planning for land, coastal, and waterfront areas can promote travel while safeguarding ecosystems. Emissions from vehicles decrease air quality and add carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, to the atmosphere, accelerating climate change. Each San Diego County commuter who biked and/or walked to work for a year, helped to avoid an equivalent of nearly one metric ton of carbon dioxide, which is comparable to switching 34 incandescent lights to LEDs, or planting and growing 15 tree seedlings for 10 years. In these ways, viable transportation alternatives to driving can reduce emissions and protect the health of our shared environment.
Ninety-three percent of low-income residents in the City of San Diego lack access to fast and frequent public transit. The Environmental Health Coalition's 10 Transit Lifelines project underscores the importance of transit for residents' access to jobs, food, and school. Ensuring reliable public transportation is crucial, and walkways should be designed for accessibility. While San Diego doesn't rank in the top 10 cities for traffic congestion, congested roads impact air quality, particularly in nearby communities. Many of these exposed areas, marked by high poverty rates, are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of air pollution.
Regional Response
SANDAG prepares an update to its regional planning every four years and is currently developing its 2025 Regional Plan, which will be built upon the groundwork of the 2021 Regional Plan and feedback from jurisdictions and community members. These plans must increasingly respond to the climate policy targets, goals and guidance set by the state of California. Increasing transportation choice is an essential component of the plan to help achieve regional climate goals and objectives.
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB 1) aimed to develop long-term funding for transportation infrastructure in California for a ten-year period ending in 2027. Some transportation projects in the San Diego Region are funded with this bill through the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). SANDAG, and other transportation agencies in the state, continually update an investment plan for the state transportation funding they receive.
The 2023-2024 May Revision to the Governor’s Budget features $12.8 billion for transportation funds.
Walk and bicycle projects based on Active Transportation Plans (ATP) are now common in Climate Action Plans throughout the San Diego County region. These are jurisdiction-specific projects going beyond the regional ATP implemented over the next 10-40 years by SANDAG. Residents can keep track of these regional bikeway projects online. Some of the projects that are expected to be open to the public in 2024 include the Orange Bikeway (connection between North Park and Mid-City neighborhoods) and Pershing Bikeway(north-south connectivity through Balboa Park) .
San Diegans under the age of 18 will continue to be able to ride public transit for free through June of 2024. Registering for the SANDAG Youth Opportunity Pass can be done online, via a phone call, or through a student’s school. Schools and community organizations can also request a bulk order of these passes.
The North County Transit District and SANDAG received a $100 million grant from the California Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program for the San Dieguito River Railway Bridge replacement and the construction of an events platform at Del Mar Fairgrounds. Construction is expected to be completed in 2028
The Regional Habitat Conservation Taskforce is a group of government wildlife agencies and nonprofit organizations that address regional habitat conservation issues related to the implementation of the TransNet Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP), which ensures that planned transportation projects comply with the Multiple Species Conservation Program and Multiple Habitat Conservation Program.
Cyclists hit the road on Bike to Anywhere Day (May 18th for 2023), a day dedicated to commuting on bicycle. Some San Diego County organizations applied to be a part of the network of 100 pit stop locations for residents to enjoy on their trips all around the county.What are we tracking?
We track commuting habits of Californian and San Diegans by analyzing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. We compare the percentages of workers who commute by car, carpool, public transit, bicycle, taxi, walking, or working from home. We also track the ridership of MTS transit options from the agency’s Performance Monitoring Reports.