Recession Equals Traffic Relief in DC Area

WASHINGTON -- Here's a silver lining to the recession: Traffic has gotten better in the D.C. region.

A study by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments has found that traffic dropped more than 3 percent from 2005. The study is based on a traffic count made using aerial photos over three says last spring.

A few spots across the region have gotten worse. Those include a stretch of Interstate 395 over the 14th Street Bridge and parts of the Capital Beltway and Interstate 66.

But the number of lanes identified as congested during rush hour dropped almost to 2002 levels.

Congestion started to ease when people started driving less because of record-high gas prices last year, experts said. The trend has continued with the sluggish economy.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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