The primary Oregon Benchmarks related to transportation are highway congestion, single occupancy vehicle commuting, and vehicle miles traveled in metropolitan areas. The rate of highway congestion is Benchmark No. 70. It is the key benchmark related to the Transportation program area. It measures how heavily congested urban freeways are during rush hours. Congestion on Oregon's metropolitan highways has significantly worsened since 1990.
Congestion exacts a large toll.
It results in more air pollution, more gasoline use, and higher cost of goods and services. It is also responsible for driver frustration and lost work time. Large increases in the use of single occupancy vehicles for commuting has contributed to the congestion. The alternative to one-person commuting is Benchmark No. 73. It measures the percentage of Oregonians who commute to and from work during peak hours by means other than a single occupancy vehicle.