Traffic Summary for Houghton
In 2024, Houghton, MI, is heavily reliant on cars as the primary mode of transportation, with 100% of commuters using this method. The city's traffic data reveals significant CO2 emissions and highlights areas for potential improvement in transportation efficiency.
Average Commute Times
- Car - Commuters using cars experience an average driving time of 10 minutes over a distance of 4.83 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Seasonal Trends
Winter months can lead to increased travel times due to snow and ice, affecting road conditions. Summer tourism may cause temporary spikes in traffic, particularly around local attractions.
Commuter Pain Points
Limited public transportation options force reliance on personal vehicles. Winter weather conditions can make driving hazardous and increase commute times.
Best Travel Times
Early mornings and late evenings are generally the best times to avoid traffic congestion. Midday travel can be smoother, especially outside of peak tourist season.
Event Impacts
Local events, such as university commencements or festivals, can significantly impact traffic flow. Planning travel around these events can help avoid delays.
Sustainability Efforts
Houghton is exploring initiatives to reduce car dependency, such as improving cycling paths and pedestrian walkways. Community programs promoting carpooling and electric vehicle use are in development.
Ride-Sharing Impact
Ride-sharing services are gradually gaining popularity, offering an alternative to personal car use. These services could help reduce traffic congestion and emissions if widely adopted.
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.
Traffic Data
Overall average travel
Average when primarily using Car
"Key Takeaways"
Houghton's complete reliance on cars presents opportunities to diversify transportation options.
Addressing high CO2 emissions should be a priority, potentially through increased public transportation and cycling infrastructure.
Key Indexes
EmissionsHoughton has a high CO2 emission index of 2660, indicating significant environmental impact.
Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting alternative transportation methods.
TimeThe time index is relatively low at 10, suggesting manageable traffic flow.
Despite the low time index, reliance on cars could lead to future congestion.
InefficiencyThe inefficiency index stands at 22.86, pointing to potential areas for improving traffic flow.
Strategies to enhance traffic efficiency could include optimizing traffic signals and promoting carpooling.