Washington, D.C. – New data released today by the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) highlight transportation patterns and behavior in seven subareas throughout metropolitan Washington.

The data show that transportation patterns diverge greatly throughout the region, with transit, walking, and biking representing a much higher share of trips in the closer in areas studied, such as Friendship Heights in the District of Columbia and Montgomery County and the Beauregard Corridor in Alexandra when compared to those areas further out.

Likewise, single-occupancy vehicle trips are significantly higher in the outer areas studied, such as Dulles North in Loudoun County and St. Charles/Waldorf in Charles County.  

TPB Chairman Scott York, who also chairs the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, noted that he hopes future such surveys will indicate a change in transportation behavior in his jurisdiction. “It will be interesting to see what changes the opening of the full Silver Line will bring,” said York. “I hope and expect a dramatic shift for transportation patterns in Loudoun.”

Both at the regional and subarea level, transit makes up a significantly higher percentage of commuting trips than overall trips, with transit accounting for 18 percent of commute trips regionally compared to only six percent of overall trips. The opposite trend is true for walking trips, which accounts for a much higher share of overall trips (nine percent) than commuting trips specifically (three percent).

The data was collected in the spring of 2012 when 2,700 households in seven focused geographic subareas were surveyed to obtain demographic information and travel characteristics of the residents.

This is the second survey focused on gathering area-specific transportation data. The first such survey covered 10 subareas and was released last spring. A third set of data collection will take place later this year and will cover 12 additional subareas.