Where We Travel

The City of Huntsville has put together a great resource, the Traffic Count Map. Compiled in 2010, the map shows how much traffic volume area roads typically see each day. Different colors indicate the classification of local roads (arterial, collector, etc.).

This map is great for transit planning because it provides such a clear idea of where people are traveling from and to. For instance, over 50,000 trips per day are made on the westernmost portion of I-565. The traffic on that route mostly corresponds to traffic coming from Decatur to work in Huntsville. Almost 95,000 trips are made through the several gates of Redstone Arsenal each day. The busiest roads in the area, by volume, are I-565 and Memorial Parkway near where the two intersect in downtown Huntsville. Each carries some 100,000+ vehicles per day. And about 50,000 trips per day are made on US-72 / University Dr. between Madison and the Cummins Research Park.

Traffic counts are essential when considering how to manage congestion, improve area roadways, and develop a transit system. These traffic counts confirm what any area resident already knows - that many of those who work in the Huntsville area travel from well outside Huntsville to get to work. Thus, any effective transit plan needs to consider how to accommodate the large fraction of commuters traveling 10+ miles each way to get to work. Due to the structure of growth in the Huntsville area, with new housing and commercial development mainly focusing on points outside the city limits, this fraction will only continue to increase in future years.