Summer vehicle travel projected to decrease this year

Traffic this summer will likely be lighter across Washington state than previous years.

A recent analysis by INRIX found that the Seattle metro and Washington state likely won’t see a return to normal traffic patterns in the coming months. As officials began implementing social distancing requirements this spring, and employers began enacting work from home policies, to fight the coronavirus pandemic, travel dropped significantly.

Despite increasing in recent weeks, traffic is still lower than it normally is this time of year across the country.

IHS Markit estimates that car travel will be three percent lower overall nationally. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects an 11 percent reduction in motor vehicle fuel consumption in the third quarter of 2020, compared to last year’s third quarter.