Travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic kept many Americans home, with daily Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) decreasing by more than half in many cities by the spring of 2020. Although many of those cities were back to normal by autumn, total U.S. VMT for the year was down 14% versus the 2019 total.
The VMT drop recorded in 2020 is a win for the environment, but reducing emissions requires a sustained effort to shift travel from passenger vehicles to low-carbon-emitting modes. While new bicycling and walking habits formed during the pandemic seem to have held in many areas, transit use is down across the country.
To discover how 2020 impacted transportation across all major modes, we ranked the country’s Top 100 largest metro areas by bicycle and pedestrian travel per capita, VMT per capita, and transit trips, among other factors. While Raleigh, Nashville, and Birmingham logged the most VMT per capita, other cities saw droves of cyclists and pedestrians leave their cars behind. Sarasota, FL, topped the list for bike activity, and Orlando was number one for pedestrian activity.
Download the top 100 to see how your city fared in 2020, and scroll down to discover just how Sarasota’s transportation planners keep people riding safely.
