Washington, and Oregon compared
to U.S. average.
Download full report (PDF)
A new report released today by the Sightline Institute says that in 2007, per-capita gasoline consumption in the Pacific Northwest fell to its lowest level since 1966.
The report analyzed Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Census data and found that the 11% drop is the equivalent of every driver in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon taking a five-week holiday from driving in 2007.
Sightline found that gas consumption in our region is about 9 percent below typical US consumption — a testament, they say to the “Northwest’s progress in saving fuel on multiple fronts”.
Sightline researchers point to several factors for the decrease including: increased use of public transit (2007 was a record year for TriMet ridership); more fuel-efficient vehicles; less per-capita vehicle travel; and more compact, pedestrian-friendly housing developments.
According to the report Oregonians consumed 7.7 gallons of gasoline per week in 2007 for a total of 1,500,235. That puts Oregon in ninth place in the U.S., but still far behind our neighbors in British Columbia. The report found that residents f the U.S. Northwest burn about 50 percent more gas than our Canadian neighbors.
Read the press release and download a PDF of the full report at Sightline.org.