In 2024, Tempe, AZ, predominantly relies on cars for commuting, with a significant 88.89% of residents choosing this mode of transport. Trams are the second most popular mode, accounting for 11.11% of commutes, reflecting the city's efforts to diversify transportation options.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 20.56 minutes of driving and 3.89 minutes on trams, covering a distance of 18.44 km.
  • Car - Car commuters spend approximately 23.13 minutes driving, covering a distance of 17.61 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
89%
Tram
11%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the winter months as snowbirds return to the area. Summer months see a slight decrease in traffic due to the heat and university breaks.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transport options outside of trams can make commuting challenging for non-drivers. Traffic congestion during peak hours can lead to longer than average commute times.

Best Travel Times

Commuters can avoid peak congestion by traveling before 7 AM or after 7 PM. Midday travel between 10 AM and 2 PM is generally smoother with less traffic.

Event Impacts

Large events at Arizona State University can significantly impact traffic, especially around the campus area. Sporting events and festivals often lead to temporary road closures and increased congestion.

Sustainability Efforts

Tempe is investing in expanding its tram network to provide more sustainable transport options. The city is also exploring bike-sharing programs to reduce car usage.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the number of cars on the road, especially during peak hours. These services provide flexible commuting options, complementing public transport.

Worldwide
United States

Traffic Rankings

The Traffic Index for the United States combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in United States, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 9 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
11.5 miles
Driving Car
20.6 mins
Tram
3.9 mins
Other
1.7 mins
Total:
26.1 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
10.9 miles
Driving Car
23.1 mins
Total:
23.1 mins
Tempe Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging the use of trams and other public transport could help reduce car dependency and emissions.

Investing in infrastructure improvements may alleviate traffic inefficiencies and reduce commute times.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Tempe's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 5617.78, indicating significant environmental impact.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on increasing public transport usage.

Time

The time index of 26.11 suggests moderate traffic delays.

Improving traffic flow could reduce commute times further.

Inefficiency

With an inefficiency index of 97.70, there is room for improvement in Tempe's traffic management.

Strategies to enhance traffic efficiency could include optimizing traffic signals and promoting alternative transport modes.