IP-2003-F (January 2003)
Author: The Center for the American Dream

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Executive Summary

The automobile has given Americans incredible mobility which translates into better-paying jobs, lower-cost consumer goods, rapid-response emergency care, and fantastic recreation opportunities. This mobility is truly part of the American dream.

But in urban areas such as Denver, auto congestion can also be a nightmare. A recent study found that Denver, the nation’s twenty-fourth largest urban area, is the nation’s third most congested area and that it has the fourth fastest-growing congestion. Congestion forces Denver drivers to waste more than 100 million gallons of fuel each year, adds to air pollution, and costs Denverites nearly $1.5 billion a year.