Overview

Transportation system congestion is one of the single largest threats to our nation’s economic prosperity and way of life.  Whether it takes the form of cars and trucks stalled in traffic, cargo stuck at overwhelmed seaports, or airplanes circling over crowded airports, congestion costs America almost an estimated $200 billion a year.  In 2005, Americans lost 4.2 billion hours and 2.9 billion gallons of fuel sitting just in road traffic jams.  Congestion is also affecting the quality of life in America by robbing us of time that could be spent with families and friends and in participation in civic activities.

The Bush Administration does not believe that this is an inevitable fate. 

The National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network (the “Congestion Initiative”) is premised on the fact that there exist innovative and demonstrated strategies that more efficiently and effectively provide relief to traffic gridlock than current practice.  These options include technologies such as congestion pricing and high-speed open road tolling, and the billions of dollars in private capital available for investment in public infrastructure.

In 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation, led first by Secretary Norman Mineta and then Secretary Mary Peters, announced a major initiative to reduce transportation system congestion.  This plan provides a blueprint for Federal, State, and local officials to consider as we work together to reverse the alarming trends of congestion.  It includes several major components: (1) Congestion Relief Programs; (2) Public Private Partnerships; (3) Corridors of the Future; (4) Implementing Technological and Operational Improvements; and (5) Increasing Aviation Capacity.