(Scroll down for news links on the analysis)

At its December meeting, Transportation Planning Board members discussed an analysis that measures how well the projects and programs in the region’s long-range transportation plan will meet the increased demands of future population and job growth between now and 2040.

Board members and staff noted that the analysis forecasts the future if current planning and funding stay on their current trajectories.

Click here to view the analysis. Some of the key points in the presentation included:

• The share of daily and commuting travel by single drivers is expected to drop.
• The share of total daily travel by walking and biking in the region is expected to increase in all parts of the region, but especially in the core area jurisdictions of DC, Arlington and Alexandria, as more the region’s future growth is now projected to occur in the region’s activity centers.
• The share of daily commuting travel by carpooling is forecast to grow measurably, especially in the outer suburbs, as the requirement of for use of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes becomes 3 region-wide and the regional system of HOV and High Occupancy Toll (HOT) facilities expands.
• Although AM Peak highway congestion is expected to increase substantially between now and 2040, some reduction in congestion is seen in a few corridors where multi-modal combinations of highway, HOV/HOT and transit improvements will be made.
• Transit ridership is expected to increase by about 30%, but the share of daily and commuting travel by transit is expected to remain about the same as it is today. The main reason for this is the lack of funding identified for WMATA’s rehabilitation and maintenance needs beyond 2020 and for the expansion of transit capacity for trips to and through the regional core.

The analysis was covered by The Washington Post, WAMU and WTOP.