This research report represents the results of the third year analysis of a six year research effort focused on quantifying urban mobility. The study contains roadway information for 39 urban areas representing a geographic cross-section throughout the country. The data base used for this research contains vehicle travel, urban area information, facility mileage, and vehicle travel per lane-mile information from 1982 to 1988. Various federal, state, and local information sources were used to develop and update the data base with the primary source being the Federal Highway Administration's Highway Performance Monitoring System. Vehicle-miles of travel and lane-mile data were used to develop roadway congestion index values for the seven largest Texas and 32 other US urban areas. These index values serve as indicators of the relative mobility level within an urban area. An analysis of the cost of congestion was performed using travel delay, increased fuel consumption and increased auto insurance premiums as the economic analysis factors. Congestion costs were estimated on an urban areawide, per registered vehicle, and per capita basis (A).

This research report is an update and expansion of "The Impact of Declining Mobility in Major Texas and Other US Cities", Research Report no.431-1F. This study expanded the number of urban areas studied to 39, to better represent a geographical cross-section of urban areas throughout the country. An assessment of the freeway and major street operating conditions was performed in seven Texas and 32 other urban areas in the continental United States. In addition, the analyses from 1982 to 1986 were updated to include 1987 urban area data. Vehicle-miles of travel and lane-miles of roadway data were collected from a variety of sources to estimate congestion on the freeway/expressway and principal arterial street systems. The values for each system were combined into a roadway congestion index used to rank mobility in each urban area on a relative scale. An analysis of the cost of this congestion was performed using travel delay, increased fuel consumption and increased auto insurance premiums as the economic analysis factors. The economic cost to the urban area, and to the individual resident, was estimated (A).