Although most employers have asked or told employees to return to their in-person offices, many workers still operate remotely or have a combination of both. These workplace returns – or lack thereof – have shifted and shortened rush hours in and around Houston.
“This isn’t just a Texas thing. This is a national trend coming out of the pandemic,” said Dr. David Schrank, senior research scientist and program manager at Texas A&M Transportation Institute. “Even in Houston, what drivers observe on their commutes could look different in another corridor.
Schrank said rush hour periods consume less time in the mornings and evenings. He added that a driver who would usually experience heavy traffic from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. could now see that congestion from 7:15 a.m. to 9 a.m.
According to Schrank, drivers may also notice traffic picking up a little later than usual on their way into the office and earlier when returning to their homes. He said this is largely due to employees coming in only for late morning or early afternoon meetings, then leaving immediately to finish the rest of their work from their homes.
“We are seeing that in the middle of the day – in between the traditional peaks – there’s more traffic out there than there was before, and we are seeing more traffic on the signalized or arterial streets than before,” Schrank said.
He added that the workforce’s return to office has also affected drivers’ speed. Those on the roads drive faster than they did in past years; however, congestion also plays a role.
Schrank said most motorists think they are slowing down when they look out the window and see brake lights turning red or cars coming to a brief halt. Meanwhile, heavy traffic just two years ago meant the driver might be starting and stopping everywhere. A driver can now maintain 20 to 30 miles per hour without stopping amid the congestion.
With roughly one-third of jobs still not requiring employees to be in the office every work day, the unpredictability of when these workers will take to the roads poses a significant challenge to the transportation system to meet capacity and efficiency needs.
“It took us more than 50 years of commuting to know when to get in a car to get to a place on time, knowing that now and then something bad may happen and we could be late.”
“It took us more than 50 years of commuting to know when to get in a car to get to a place on time, knowing that now and then something bad may happen and we could be late,” Schrank said.
“Now, on any given day, the whole workforce could have to go to work,” he added. “We’re kind of in this environment where we expect a certain percentage of those not to go to work, but suddenly everybody could need to come in on a certain day.”
Schrank said that road systems can’t always handle that influx, which is when construction starts to be considered.
Work on highways and arterial roads focuses on increasing the ability to hold more vehicles and fixing any outdated infrastructure needs. Schrank said many of the streets in Houston were designed in the 1960s and 1970s, and the geometrics of these layouts are outside the current technology and capabilities of cars or architecture today.
“You’re not driving your 1954 Chevy on Houston’s freeways anymore. You’re driving a high-tech vehicle with all kinds of acceleration, lane departure and stopping abilities. This technology allows for freer movement of vehicles,” he said. “But if the roads are still designed for these older cars, then you’re not getting the maximum use out of those vehicles.”
There are also new technologies regarding construction that builders now have to consider when designing these projects. This includes camera detection, flood warning, signal timing and progression systems.
According to Schrank, those involved in highway and roadway projects often install broadband and fiber optics in re-constructed corridors for these technologies.
“It’s not as much about rebar and concrete anymore. It’s more about what’s on top of that rebar and concrete and what is managing that space,” he said.
Schrank said the primary issue related to construction is being part of an area’s larger transportation system. He referenced the pending I-45 expansion project and its potential effect on any roadway that touches it or Interstate 69.
He said other areas have to pick up the slack when work occurs. The same thing happened when work was being done on the Katy Freeway. Highway 290 saw an uptick in congestion – and vice versa when 290 was under construction afterward.
“Transportation is a systemic thing. Yes, I’m driving on this road, but it’s a part of the road system,” Schrank said. “Anytime a part of that system goes under construction, or an accident occurs, you see congestion all over the place on the surrounding roads because everybody’s trying to divert and go around it.”
Schrank suggests leaving earlier rather than later for drivers attempting to beat congestion, especially during the holiday season, when those on the road are a mixed bag of native Houstonians familiar with the city’s road system and out-of-town visitors taking to the streets with their families.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
