INDICATOR

 STATUS

The amount of travel in the city is generally measured in terms of vehicle miles traveled (VMT). This is the total number of miles of travel by all vehicles on all Santa Monica roadways in an average day.  The per capita VMT is the total VMT divided by the population.   Eventually the indicator will track local versus drive-through vehicle miles.

Overall, vehicle miles traveled in the City of Santa Monica have dropped 5% since 1992, the first year of gathering data for the Sustainable City Plan, but there has been some variation. According to the California Public Road Data, there were 1,118,000 miles traveled in 1992. There was a spike to 1,306,190 in 2002. Since then, VMT levels have dropped to 1,062,700 in 2005 and remained there in 2006. Since 1992, VMT per capita has dropped 10%, from 12.1 to 11.7 miles per day per person.

The stability of Santa Monica’s VMT is remarkable.  In general, an increase, not a decrease, in VMT since 1992 would be expected, given the rise in population, economic development and construction which has occurred in the last several years. Detailed data do not exist to conclusively determine it, but the stable VMT may be a function of the city’s promotion of biking, bus ridership and other sustainable transit in the city.  In addition, traffic calming measures may inhibit drive-through traffic.

This indicator, along with average vehicle ridership modal split and public transit ridership, help evaluate transportation system utilization and performance. Monitoring VMT helps to inform decisions about public transit needs, transportation management, land use, and community development.

Vehicle miles traveled is a common measurement used in evaluating transportation programs. Vehicle miles traveled are measured in millions and include the total number of miles traveled. An increase in VMT in the city generally indicates a heavy reliance on motor vehicles. This reliance on motor vehicles can worsen air quality, contribute to water and soil pollution, and reflect increased road congestion.

Per capita VMT data correlate with various economic and lifestyle factors such as increased car ownership, more women in the workforce, more teen driving and sprawling development patterns.

With an increase in the use of hybrid and other alternative fuel vehicles, there can be a rise in VMT without the associated greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependence. Unfortunately, alternative fuel vehicles still contribute to congestion on the roadways. Currently, most of all VMT traveled in the city are in single occupancy, traditional fuel vehicles.