Commute to go from bad to worse in 30 years
Think the commute for you and your employees is bad now? It will be much worse in 30 years, according to a new transportation forecast by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG).
The report predicts a population increase of 24 percent and 1.1 million new jobs. Highways and transit wont be able to keep up. Most of the growth will be in the outer suburbs, where transit options are limited.
Carpooling is predicted to increase. But 57 percent of commuting in 2040 is expected to be by people driving alone, just a 4 percent drop from current figures.
More funding is needed to keep up with the demand to increase capacity on highways and Metro, says Ron Kirby, MWCOG director of transportation planning.
The gas tax, other user fees, the vehicle registration fees are all on the table, with both governors in Maryland and Virginia talking about addressing them when their respective legislatures convene in January, says Kirby.
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