Commuters Cope With Traffic Jams in Northern Virginia: Study

A new study of traffic in Northern Virginia shows how heavily local roads get congested during rush hour, with Fairfax County seeing the most traffic jams, according to a media report.

In the morning rush hour, Fairfax County has the largest portion of its roads near (41 percent) and over (23 percent) capacity, radio station WTOP reported Tuesday. Alexandria comes in second, with 23 percent pf its lane-miles over capacity and 33 percent near capacity, according to the study by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.

The study also provides rush-hour traffic statistics for Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties, as well as figures on mass transit use and car pooling in the region.

Most commuters in Northern Virginia get to work by driving alone, accounting for 73 percent of all commuter trips, the study found. In Loudoun and Prince William counties, more than 80 percent of commuters drive alone, but in Arlington, that figure drops to 45 percent.

Most commuters in Arlington, about 47 percent, take mass transit to work, the study says. In Alexandria, the figure is 35 percent, but in the outer suburb of Loudoun County, only 3 percent of commuters use mass transit.

The study is part of an effort by the NVTC to assess the economic impact of the Metro system and the Virginia Railway Express, WTOP reported.

Image: Shutterstock