Experience has shown that we cannot eliminate congestion on our transportation network by just adding lanes on our highways or with additional new roads. Other measures can be taken to effectively reduce congestion such as improving traffic signal timing, improving intersections (adding/lengthening turn lanes, etc.), modifying medians and investing in transit and pathways for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Congestion Management Process
Federal and State regulations require that Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) develop a Congestion Management Process (CMP). The (CMP) is a detailed 8-step process that an urban area follows to improve the performance of its transportation system by reducing the negative impacts of traffic congestion. A CMP is developed to improve traffic flow and safety conditions. It seeks to accomplish this by using a combination of strategies that can reduce travel demand, improve traffic operations, or provide options other than driving alone during times when roadways tend to be more congested. The CMP is incorporated by reference into the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan – Cost Feasible Plan (LRTP-CFP).
The Transportation System Performance Report and Action Plan was approved by the MPO Board in September 2020 to provide guidance for updating the CMP. The TSPR Report and Action Plan identify congested roadway segments and recommends short- and long-term candidate projects to address congestion.
The Congestion Management Process (CMP) Update was approved by the MPO Board in April 2022. The CMP describes the MPO’s data-driven planning process to identify congestion hotspots, analyze alternative solutions, and recommend prioritized congestion management projects for future funding by the MPO Board. The CMP includes Congested Corridor Fact Sheets which provide detailed information on ten of the most congested corridors in Collier County and recommend multimodal strategies for alleviating congestion. The 2022 CMP update also included an Origin and Destination Study (O&D) approved by the MPO Board in December 2022. The O&D Study provides insight into travel patterns in Collier County.
2025/26 CMP Update – Joint Regional Congestion Management Element
Collier and Lee MPO are introducing a Joint Regional Congestion Management Element for inclusion in each MPO’s CMP this year. Lee MPO began working on the regional component over the summer. Collier MPO anticipates beginning work in earnest in late September. Stay tuned for updates!
For more information about congestion management, please contact Principal Planner Sean Kingston, at (239) 252-5859 or Sean.Kingston@colliercountyfl.gov