WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

We’re getting a good economic bang for our driving buck

We motorists in the Evergreen State contribute more to our economy than drivers in most other states contribute to theirs, says a recent study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

Just like some cars get great miles per gallon, Washington state is getting great economic mileage from our transportation system.
Just like some cars get great miles per gallon, Washington state is getting great economic mileage from our transportation system, according to an analysis of every state in the union.

Essentially, this analysis compares the amount of miles we travel to the amount created or spent (i.e., each state’s gross domestic product, or GDP) when we get to where we’re going. The research here at hand — “Distance Driven and Economic Activity” — looks at the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the years 1997-2011.

Michael Sivak, Ph.D., is the UMTRI research scientist who wrote the study. He points out in his introduction that “… the relationship between distance driven and economic activity has been one of the favorite topics in transportation research.”

In fact, Sivak notes that a 2012 review conducted by two of his colleagues “… identified 28,534 [emphasis added] potentially relevant studies” on this very issue. Sivak explains that this most-current study of his “… was designed to examine the current variations among the U.S. states in GDP per distance driven and recent changes in this parameter.” He also stresses the theme that our anxiety about energy and the environment make it more important than ever for us to obtain a “… relatively high economic activity per unit of driving.”

This table shows that Washington’s 2011 GDP was well over $357 million. As you can see for yourself, we drove just under 57 million miles two years ago. And our “GDP per distance driven (dollars/mile)” was 6.27. A couple of other tables contained in the Sivak report reveal that Washington is also one of the top 10 states, when it comes to improving our “GDP per distance driven.” The map is another representation of our standing, vis-à-vis other states and D.C.

A ranking of every state of GDP by distance driven. Washington state gets high marks.
A ranking of every state of GDP by distance driven. Washington state gets high marks.