In 2024, Knoxville's transportation landscape is heavily dominated by car usage, with a staggering 96% of commuters relying on personal vehicles. The city's traffic inefficiency index highlights significant room for improvement, especially in reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing public transport options.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time in Knoxville is about 27 minutes, primarily by car, covering a distance of approximately 25.43 km.
  • Car - Car commuters experience an average drive time of 27 minutes, with no significant waiting time reported.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
96%
Home
4%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the fall, coinciding with the start of the academic year and local events. Winter months may see reduced traffic due to adverse weather conditions affecting travel.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transportation options force reliance on personal vehicles, contributing to congestion. High CO2 emissions are a growing concern among environmentally conscious residents.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are generally the best times to avoid heavy traffic. Midday travel can also be less congested, particularly between 10 AM and 2 PM.

Event Impacts

Public events, especially those at the University of Tennessee, can significantly impact traffic patterns, leading to increased congestion. Planning travel around major events can help avoid delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Knoxville is exploring initiatives to expand bike lanes and improve public transport infrastructure. Efforts to promote carpooling and ride-sharing are also underway to reduce traffic and emissions.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are gradually gaining popularity, offering a viable alternative to personal car use. These services help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, potentially easing congestion.

Worldwide
United States

Traffic Rankings

Knoxville ranks 45th 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.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 25 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
15.8 miles
Driving Car
27.0 mins
Total:
27.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
15.8 miles
Driving Car
27.0 mins
Total:
27.0 mins
Knoxville Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Knoxville's transportation system is highly car-dependent, with minimal use of public transport or alternative methods.

There is a critical need for initiatives aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and improving traffic efficiency.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Knoxville's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 7170.92, reflecting the heavy reliance on cars.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on promoting alternative transportation methods.

Time

The average time index for commuting is 26.96, indicating moderate traffic delays.

Improving traffic flow could significantly reduce commute times.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 143.35, suggesting potential for optimization in traffic management.

Addressing inefficiencies could enhance overall commuting experiences.