In 2024, Blacksburg, VA sees a predominant use of cars for commuting, with a significant portion of the population also relying on buses. The city's traffic data reveals insights into commute times, CO2 emissions, and transportation inefficiencies.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 0.67 minutes waiting, 7.33 minutes driving, and 2.67 minutes walking, covering a distance of 7.44 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend about 2 minutes waiting, 7 minutes on the bus, and 5 minutes walking, covering a distance of 3 km.
  • Car - Car users experience an average of 11 minutes driving and 1.5 minutes walking, with a total distance of 9.66 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
67%
Bus
33%
Seasonal Trends

Traffic tends to increase during the academic year due to the presence of Virginia Tech students. Summer months see a slight reduction in traffic as students leave for break.

Commuter Pain Points

Limited public transport options can lead to longer wait times and inconvenience. Traffic congestion during peak hours can cause delays, especially for car commuters.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 8 AM and late evenings after 6 PM are ideal for avoiding peak traffic. Midday travel is generally smoother with less congestion.

Event Impacts

Virginia Tech events significantly impact traffic, causing increased congestion and delays. Football games and graduation ceremonies are particularly disruptive.

Sustainability Efforts

Blacksburg is exploring initiatives to expand bike lanes and improve public transport infrastructure. Efforts are underway to promote carpooling and reduce single-occupancy vehicle use.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services are gaining popularity, offering flexible commuting options and reducing the need for personal car ownership. These services help alleviate parking demand and can reduce traffic congestion if widely adopted.

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: Jan, 2025
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 3 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
4.6 miles
Walking
2.7 mins
Waiting
0.7 mins
Driving Car
7.3 mins
Bus / Trolley
2.3 mins
Total:
13.0 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
1.9 miles
Walking
5.0 mins
Waiting
2.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
7.0 mins
Total:
14.0 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
6.0 miles
Walking
1.5 mins
Driving Car
11.0 mins
Total:
12.5 mins
Blacksburg Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Encouraging the use of public transport and non-motorized modes could reduce CO2 emissions.

Improving bus service efficiency might attract more commuters, reducing car usage.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Blacksburg's CO2 emissions index is relatively high at 2044, indicating a need for more sustainable transport options.

The reliance on cars contributes significantly to the city's emissions.

Time

The average commute time index is 13, suggesting moderate traffic conditions.

Car travel is the fastest mode, but bus travel offers a viable alternative with slightly longer times.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 21.45, highlighting areas for improvement in traffic flow and public transport efficiency.

Reducing car dependency could help alleviate inefficiencies.