Traffic Counts

Description of the Indicator
This indicator measures the number of traffic counts from permanent count sites. The local sites include Interstate 81 in Wilkes-Barre Township, Interstate 80 in Foster Township, and State Route 307 in Newton Township. Additionally, this indicator examines the region’s daily vehicle miles on highways.

Why is this important?
This indicator aids in assessing infrastructure demands by providing information about usage patterns. Increases in highway usage could warrant increased road maintenance or expansion of road networks.

How is the region performing?
Annual average daily traffic counts for I-81 in Wilkes-Barre Township and I-80 in Foster Township increased from 2015 to 2022 by 2.1 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively. PA-307, from 2015 to 2022, experienced a 6.1 percent decrease in traffic counts.

Lackawanna County’s daily vehicle miles of travel along the 144.1 linear miles of highway have decreased from 2021 to 2022 by 8.9 percent but are still 15 percent higher than in 2020.

Luzerne County has also experienced a decrease of daily vehicle miles of travel by four percent from 2021 to 2022 along its 177.7 linear miles of highway. Values have increased from 2020 to 2022 by 10 percent.

Wayne County’s 6.6 linear miles of highway have seen a decrease, much like the other counties, in the daily vehicle miles of travel by 26.8 percent from 2021 to 2022.