Traffic Decongestion Helps Edmonton Drivers Breathe Easy

October 15, 2012

The City of Edmonton is pleased with a new report showing that Edmonton has one of the best records for decreasing traffic congestion among North American cities.

The TomTom North American Congestion Index ranked Edmonton number one out of 26 cities in the U.S. and Canada, with an overall 7% decrease in traffic congestion between 2011 and 2012. According to TomTom calculations Edmonton went from 21% congestion in 2011 to 14% in 2012, making it the best-ranked Canadian city and second overall in North America behind Phoenix.

“We’re very pleased with the results,” said Transportation Operations Manager Brice Stephenson. “The recent completion of large projects like Quesnell Bridge and Scona Road as well as a decrease in collision rates through improved safety and traffic controls are contributing factors.”

Less construction and fewer collisions mean better traffic flow throughout Edmonton. When combined with increases in transit infrastructure and ridership, the TomTom results demonstrate how the City is using a multi-faceted approach to address traffic congestion.

TomTom’s congestion index compares travel times during non-congested periods with travel times in peak hours, with the difference expressed as a percentage increase in travel time. The comparison includes local roads, arterials and highways.

TomTom manufactures auto-navigation products and uses GPS equipment to study traffic flow.

The full survey results are available at tomtom.com/en_ca/congestionindex/. For more on how the City is improving the way we move around Edmonton, visit edmonton.ca/transportation.

For more information:

Laura McNabb

Transportation Services

Title	Communications Officer
Telephone	780-496-4684