Nashville's traffic landscape in 2024 is dominated by car usage, with 90% of commuters relying on personal vehicles. Despite the heavy reliance on cars, the city is making strides in promoting alternative transportation methods to reduce congestion and emissions.

Average Commute Times

The average commute time in Nashville is approximately 38.98 minutes, with most of this time spent driving.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 27.5 minutes on the bus, with additional time for waiting and walking.
  • Car - Car commuters have an average driving time of 38.26 minutes, with minimal waiting time.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 17.5 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 1.7 kilometers.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
90%
Walking
3%
Bus
3%
Home
2%
Bicycle
2%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic congestion tends to increase during the summer months as tourism peaks. Winter weather can also impact commute times, particularly during snow or ice events.

Commuter Pain Points

Heavy traffic during rush hours leads to significant delays for car commuters. Limited public transportation options make it challenging for non-car owners to commute efficiently.

Best Travel Times

Traveling outside of peak hours, such as mid-morning or early afternoon, can reduce commute times. Weekends generally see lighter traffic, making them ideal for non-essential travel.

Event Impacts

Major events like concerts and sports games can cause temporary spikes in traffic congestion. Planning travel around these events can help avoid delays.

Sustainability Efforts

Nashville is exploring the expansion of bike lanes and pedestrian paths to encourage non-motorized commuting. The city is also considering investments in electric buses to reduce public transport emissions.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services have helped reduce the number of cars on the road, offering a flexible alternative to car ownership. However, they can also contribute to congestion in popular areas during peak times.

Worldwide
United States

Traffic Rankings

Nashville ranks 14th 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 60 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
17.2 miles
Walking
1.3 mins
Waiting
0.7 mins
Driving Car
35.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
0.9 mins
Bicycle
1.0 mins
Motorcycle
0.0 mins
Total:
39.0 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
6.0 miles
Walking
7.5 mins
Waiting
17.5 mins
Bus / Trolley
27.5 mins
Total:
52.5 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
18.4 miles
Walking
0.5 mins
Waiting
0.1 mins
Driving Car
38.3 mins
Total:
38.9 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
1.1 miles
Walking
17.5 mins
Total:
17.5 mins
Nashville Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Nashville's reliance on cars contributes to high CO2 emissions and long commute times.

Investing in public transportation and promoting alternative commuting methods could alleviate traffic issues.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Nashville's CO2 emissions index is notably high at 9351.80, reflecting the city's heavy car usage.

Efforts to reduce emissions are critical as the city grows and traffic increases.

Time

The time index of 38.98 indicates significant time spent commuting, primarily due to car dependency.

Improving public transport options could help reduce commute times.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 210.21, highlighting the need for more efficient transportation solutions.

Traffic inefficiencies are exacerbated by the high percentage of car commuters.