According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s “2007 Urban Mobility Report,” a study of America’s roughly 450 urban areas revealed traffic congestion to be an ever-growing problem. In 2005, congestion caused American drivers to travel an extra 4.2 billion hours and purchase 2.9 billion gallons of extra fuel, for an overall congestion cost of $78 billion. This congestion cost was up from $73 billion in 2004 and $15 billion in 1982.

On a more personal level, yearly delays due to congestion for a peak-period traveler was 38 hours (or roughly the equivalent of one work week), an increase from 14 hours in 1982. That same traveler also wasted 26 gallons of fuel (or the equal of three weeks worth of gasoline for the average U.S. resident), up from 9 gallons in 1982. With gas reaching $4 a gallon in many areas, this is a huge burden to commuters.

The bottom line is; commuters must plan around traffic congestion for more of their trips, in more hours of the day, and in more areas than in 1982. In much of America, this includes weekends and rural areas.

While congestion is largely thought of as a big-city problem, delays are becoming increasingly common in small cities and some rural areas as well.

These challenges demonstrate the need for creative planning approaches that promote the use of public transportation. According to the “2007 Urban Mobility Report,” regular route public transportation service on buses and trains provides a significant amount of peak-period travel in the most congested urban areas in the United States. If public transportation service was discontinued and the riders traveled in private vehicles, the 437 urban areas would have suffered an additional 541 million hours of delay and consumed 340 million more gallons of fuel in 2005, one-third more than a decade ago. The value of the delay and fuel that would be consumed if there were no public transportation service would be an additional $10.2 billion in congestion costs, a 13 percent increase more than current levels. Also, public transportation services provide many other benefits — particularly access to jobs, shops, medical facilities, schools and other destinations for those who do not have private transportation.

What are Intermodal Transportation Centers?
For many urban areas, intermodal transportation centers can be integral in reducing the amount of extra hours and gallons of fuel Americans spend each year. Intermodal transportation centers are versatile facilities designed to provide travelers with a variety of transportation modes, including trains, subway systems, buses, ferries and even water taxis. A key component is making certain that the traveling public can conveniently transfer from one mode of transportation to the next. Of course, in addition to such transportation services, intermodal transportation centers must also provide sufficient parking for travelers. After parking their vehicles, travelers can then easily access whichever form of public transportation will provide the most convenient access to their ultimate destinations.

In 2000, Congress declared, “A national intermodal transportation system is a coordinated, flexible network of diverse but complementary forms of transportation that transports passengers and property in the most efficient manner. By reducing transportation costs, these intermodal systems will enhance the ability of the industry of the United States to compete in the global marketplace.” Congress also has decided that the United States “must make a national commitment to rebuild its infrastructure through development of a national intermodal transportation system.”