Traffic Summary for Asheville
In 2024, Asheville's transportation landscape is dominated by car usage, with a significant 96.43% of commuters relying on this mode of transport. Despite the heavy reliance on cars, the city maintains a relatively low average commute time, reflecting efficient traffic flow.
Average Commute Times
- Car - Car commuters experience an average driving time of 27.04 minutes, covering a distance of about 24.15 km.
- Walking - Walking is a minor mode of transport, with an average walking time of 20 minutes for a distance of 1 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Seasonal Trends
Traffic tends to increase during the summer months as tourists visit Asheville, leading to longer commute times. Winter months see a slight decrease in traffic, as adverse weather conditions deter travel.
Commuter Pain Points
Limited public transportation options force reliance on cars, contributing to congestion. Parking availability in downtown areas is a common concern for drivers.
Best Travel Times
Early mornings before 8 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are the best times to avoid heavy traffic. Midday travel between 11 AM and 2 PM is also relatively smooth.
Event Impacts
Public events such as festivals and concerts can significantly impact traffic, especially in downtown Asheville. Planning travel around major events can help avoid congestion.
Sustainability Efforts
Asheville is exploring initiatives to expand bike lanes and improve pedestrian pathways. The city is also considering incentives for electric vehicle usage to lower emissions.
Ride-Sharing Impact
Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the number of cars on the road, easing congestion slightly. However, the impact is limited due to the high preference for personal car use.
Traffic Rankings
Asheville ranks 44th on the Traffic rankings in United States. 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
Average when primarily using Walking
"Key Takeaways"
Promoting public transportation and cycling could help reduce CO2 emissions and traffic inefficiencies.
Encouraging flexible work hours might alleviate peak time congestion.
Key Indexes
EmissionsAsheville's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 6935, indicating a significant environmental impact from transportation.
Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting alternative transportation methods.
TimeThe time index of 27.07 suggests that while commute times are manageable, there is room for improvement.
Traffic flow is generally efficient, but peak times may still experience delays.
InefficiencyThe inefficiency index stands at 218.25, highlighting potential areas for traffic management improvements.
Reducing car dependency could alleviate some inefficiencies in the system.