2009 Vehicle Miles Traveled
Long Islanders are driving more, and currently drive 35-40 miles per day for each vehicle they own.
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Why is this important?
The number of miles traveled by cars, trucks and other motor vehicles is a major factor in determining the amount of congestion on our roads and highways. The more we drive, the more crowded our roadways become, leading to lost work time and productivity and higher air pollution.
How are we doing?
The average person in Nassau travels 35 miles per day for each vehicle he or she owns, compared to 40 miles per day in Suffolk. Nassau is on par with New York City; Suffolk is only slightly higher than the average for the rest of New York State. Presumably, the higher number for Suffolk County is because there are longer distances between downtowns, job centers and other destinations than in Nassau, and because transit is less available.
From 1997 to 2006 the number of vehicles grew by 12% in Suffolk but only 2% in Nassau. From this data we can infer that the number of miles traveled increased substantially in Suffolk but only modestly in Nassau. This does not necessarily mean that congestion has grown more in Suffolk than in Nassau. Nassau is already densely settled, and a small increase in auto use can result in a disproportionate increase in congestion. On the whole, the data indicate that an increasing number of cars on the road have added to highway congestion over the last decade. With limited road capacity and high levels of existing congestion, any future increases could have a disproportionate affect on time spent in traffic. By comparison, the number of vehicles declined in New York City and grew by 7% in the rest of New York State during the same period. A large increase in subway and bus ridership in New York City may help explain the decline in auto ownership during this period.