Welcome to the dog days of summer 2009. The sun is hot and there are burning questions to address about transportation and air quality. So, grab some shade and pour yourself a tall glass of knowledge in this edition of Merging Lanes.

Is there less traffic on the roads?

The latest edition of the Urban Mobility Report, a comprehensive study of traffic congestion in major cities, says Atlanta is no longer the 2nd worst city in the nation for commuters. We are now the 3rd worst city for commuters. Only Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. commuters waste more time in traffic and burn up more fuel going nowehere than Atlanta commuters do. Yay, us.

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But didn't $4 gas and the recession cause bigger changes than that?

Unfortunately, this new data only gets us through 2007, when pump prices had just started their painful ascent and the first tremors of economic collapse were still faint. Certainly when the 2008 numbers become available, the effect of gas prices and the sour economy will be much more pronounced. But for now, we only get to pore over the 2007 numbers, which say the average metro Atlanta commuter wasted two fewer gallons of fuel than the prior year and two fewer hours stuck in gridlock. Raise your hand if you've truly felt the positive impact of these "savings" in your commute. Stay tuned for more recent traffic data that may become available in the near term.

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So, how should employers, commuters and policymakers interpret this new data?
With a grain of salt. Yes, the region saw improved traffic conditions in 2007 and will be able to say that traffic improved even further in 2008. But it's improper to say our traffic problems are fixed. Market conditions provided temporary relief ... and market conditions are largely beyond our control. Metro Atlanta is grappling with 9.5% unemployment, which is good for the still-employed who can negotiate through lighter traffic to get to their jobs, but bad for Georgia's economic vitality. Whipsawing fuel prices cause people to drive less, but only when costs rise dramatically. One of the best takeaways from the Urban Mobility Report is this statement on the first page about how to achieve long-term improvement:

"There are many congestion problems but there are also many solutions. The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses,manufacturers, commuters and travelers."

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How is Georgia's air quality faring this Smog Season?

As of July 10, Metro Atlanta has experienced 8 Code Orange days so far this smog season, when ground-level ozone concentrations were deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. Last year at this point, Atlanta had experienced 16 bad air days. Middle Georgia has registered two such days this year, compared with three by this point in 2008. North Georgia has also racked up a pair of Code Orange days this year, versus five by this time a year ago. As we approach the midpoint in the 2009 smog season, things are looking up: we're coming out of a drought, temperatures have not consistently boiled over ... and we hope more commuters are reducing their contribution to smog by finding better ways to get to and from work.

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A new marketing survey finds commuters in "The City Too Busy to Hate" have ample time to project anger towards each other as they jockey for position on the region's congested roadways.

Don't drive angry.

Atlanta, the genteel metropolis where people say "hey" and open the door for one other, checks in at #4 on the list of cities with the least courteous drivers, behind New York, Dallas and Detroit. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, Portland, Oregon, topped the rankings as the most courteous city for motorists.

The worst part is that Atlanta moved up on the list, from 6th in 2008. Guess lots of the 84% of commuters in the region who drive alone each day need to smooth out some anger issues.

How did we go from bad to worse? A few thoughts:

1. Population growth has brought a million new residents to metro Atlanta in the past decade, and the region expects to add another two million people by 2030. We're fighting for our "personal space" on a crowded transportation network that projects to grow even more crowded. And we're not happy about it.

2. We're not paying attention to what we're doing because we're preoccupied with multi-tasking, talking on the phone or texting. Of the 24 cities participating in the survey, Atlanta was the city most likely to see other commuters slam on their brakes at the last minute.

3. We're short on patience because we're always running late due to delay from traffic (which burns up 60 hours a year for the average metro ATL commuter). This shows up in the finding that Atlanta is second-most likely to see other commuters run through red lights on a daily basis or change lanes without warning.

What can we do to suppress some of the asphalt angst we fling at our fellow commuters?

Here's an idea: next time you're behind the wheel and that vein pops out of your neck because the dummy in front of you just swerved into your lane and cut you off, share a laugh about it with your carpool partner. Or, tuck away that middle finger and thank your lucky stars you don't have to do battle in traffic the next day because you're working a compressed workweek. Or, ease up on the horn and make a mental note to ask your employer about getting a discounted transit pass.

Maybe these are the things the happy commuters do in Portland.

Next week is a great week to shake up the routine a little in your daily commute. The Clean Air Campaign, together with Clark Howard and the crew at 750 AM WSB and the region's local Transportation Management Associations, want you to pick a day next week to give your car the day off. Last year, some 1,300 metro Atlanta commuters pledged to do it (when gas prices rose above $4 last year, it's easy to see why). This year, let's raise the bar! You can sign up here to take part.

Need a little motivation to participate this go around? Here are five great reasons to give your car the day off:

1. Every mile you drive alone is costing you 54 cents. That adds up over time, especially in Atlanta, which is recognized as one of the most expensive areas for commuters nationwide. Did you know the average metro ATL household spends more than $8,000 a year on transportation costs? That's more than we spend on food.
2. You can get more done when you're not behind the wheel. With an average commute time in the region of 36 minutes each way, we're all looking for ways to be more productive. Why not hop on an Xpress bus or carpool and read a book or catch up on e-mail?
3. Half of all smog-forming emissions come from the tailpipes of cars and trucks. That's a major factor in the number of days we experience when air quality is deemed unhealthy for outdoor activity. Fewer tailpipes is good for the air we breathe. Try carpooling. If you need help finding a person to share the ride, The Clean Air Campaign can direct you to RideSmart, a division of the Atlanta Regional Commission that runs a service to match commuters who live and work near each other.
4. Not having to drive means less stress from the grind of traffic and the "unpredictable actions" of other commuters who are competing for space on the roads. You don't have to get worked up about the dummy who zooms past you and changes lanes without signaling when you're teleworking.
5. When you leave your car in the driveway and choose a different way to get to work, you're not using up as much energy. Try MARTA. They're also supporting an event next week -- on Thursday, June 18 -- called "Dump the Pump." We all remember how exasperating it was last year to shell out big bucks for gas. It's still painful to pay $2.50 a gallon. Try an alternative so you don't need to fill up the tank as often.

Giving your car the day off one day next week is just a starting point, of course. We want you to do it once in hopes that you'll consider doing it more often. There are more than 350,000 commuters across town who have come to enjoy alternatives to driving alone. We need more to accomplish our mission of less traffic and cleaner air.

In metro Atlanta, 84% of commuters drive alone to and from work on a maxed out road network. We’re chided as the most expensive city for commuters in the entire nation as we stew in traffic for an average of 72 minutes a day roundtrip. There’s no question we need more infrastructure, transit, sustainable funding sources and focused leadership to meet the mobility needs of a growing region. But even with new funding, it will take a decade or more to bring new projects out of the ground. What we need NOW is to make the best use of the existing options we have.

That got us thinking, “what if we could show the impact that taking cars off the road can have on traffic?” We know that on bank holidays, it’s much easier to get to work, despite the fact that only a small percentage of cars are not on the roads. If more commuters chose not to drive alone, what could that do to traffic congestion? The Clean Air Campaign and our partners came up with a neat way to express that idea visually.

We created a series of simulated traffic photos. Check them out here. Here’s how we did it: Last fall, a photographer scaled a fence on the 10th Street overpass straddling the Downtown Connector during morning rush hour to shoot a picture of typical Atlanta traffic (she nearly got arrested trying to get the perfect shot). A week later, our staff and partners met in an empty parking lot in Buckhead and set up a bunch of folding chairs:

We arranged them on the blacktop in configurations that accurately portray the number of seats in a typical carpool, vanpool and commuter bus. We sat in the chairs and modeled for the camera as the photographer snapped photos from atop a scissor lift. Then, the images were painstakingly cleaned up in PhotoShop and merged into the original traffic photo of the Downtown Connector.

The concept has become a mainstay in The Clean Air Campaign’s presentations to employers and commuters. In just a few images, we can explain what we’re trying to accomplish. The best part is that many of our colleagues and partners sat in those chairs and helped make the project possible. How much longer until the concept of these photos becomes more of a reality? That’s up to you.

For this edition, a sampling of current events in the transportation and air quality world we share with every Georgian who commutes and has a pair of lungs:

Coming Soon: Cleaner Cars

Starting in 2012, new cars and trucks will be required to get 35 mpg AND produce less greenhouse gas emissions. What's exciting about this concept is that it merges together two ideas -- reduced energy demand plus lower environmental impact. It's also neat that the policy will be co-authored by the Environmental Protection Agency AND the US Department of Transportation. Still, it's important to keep a little perspective: in a few years, we'll look good sitting behind the wheel of our cleaner cars, but unless we get more cars off the road, we won't get anywhere.

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Smog Season: All's Clear ... So Far

We're now into our fourth week of smog season and the Seattle-like spate of cool, windy, wet weather has helped keep us in the green. Wish it could last forever, but the reality is that we live in the Southeast, and it just wouldn't be summer without a lingering drought and broiling temperatures. Commuter traffic also factors in to the formation of smog, with tailpipes accounting for 50% of it in Atlanta. But, it's great that we haven't had to sound the smog alarm so far. Are you registered to receive Smog Alerts from us?

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Eye Candy: Visualize Less Traffic

The Clean Air Campaign and many of our partners in the transportation created a compelling visual representation of what it is we're trying to accomplish with your help. Check out this video for an idea of what's possible when just a handful of commuters think differently about the way they get to and from work. Watch this space for a future post describing how we made this.

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Road Test: Drive Carefully

And finally, the most compelling reason yet to skip your commute altogether and telework. Yikes. Have a great holiday weekend!

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Georgia has just about all the amenities an outdoor enthusiast could want. Rivers and creeks to navigate by kayak. Hiking trails and varied terrain to negotiate on foot. For the adventurous, hang gliding near Lookout Mountain. But when it comes to commuting, there's one mode of travel that has effectively merged our appreciation for being outdoors with our need to get to work: riding a bicycle.

Bicycling is no longer just for weekend warriors. In fact, more than 80,000 commute trips were logged in 2008 by bicycle commuters participating in The Clean Air Campaign's incentive programs. Looking back over a three-year period in Georgia, that number has doubled, which tells us there's a sizable group of bicycle commuters with a passion for pedaling their way to their jobs. In fact, The Clean Air Campaign's executive director has been known to bike to the office every now and then. What he and others have figured out is that they can trade a little sweat equity for the freedom of being able to ride unabated through gridlock and not have to scavenge for parking. Everyone benefits from having one less car on the road, which means less air pollution. And if it wasn't fun, commuters wouldn't do it.

Other groups are starting to take note of the rising bicycle commuter trend:

• More office buildings are weighing options for bike racks and shower facilities.

• The federal government, through 2009 stimulus legislation, is even offering a $20 per month tax credit for bicycle commuters (though it is still unclear at this early stage how the commuter or the employer can file this deduction).

• RideSmart launched a program in 2008 called Bike Buddy to help pair together groups of bicycle commuters who ride similar routes for safety.

Coming up in mid-May, the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is teaming up with several area partners, including local Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) and The Clean Air Campaign, to promote a week's worth of events leading up to Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 14. Bicycle commuters will be able to refuel with refreshments in areas throughout town, get information on bike routes and confident city cycling classes at a tabling event set to take place in Woodruff Park and celebrate all things bicycle with a party at a yet-to-be-determined location. Keep an eye out for more information on this fun series of events.

It's incredible to think that in other countries like Denmark, more than one-third of commuters get to school or work via bicycle. And they look good doing it. This photo appears on an intriguing blog devoted to the high style of well-dressed gentlemen traveling by bicycle.

If you had favorable weather conditions, good equipment and a commute of less than 10 miles, would you try it?

It was decades ago that Atlanta earned its nickname as "The City Too Busy to Hate." Today, metro Atlanta has seized the mantle as the largest employment center in the southeast. If a region's success is defined by the horsepower of its economic engine, then certainly metro Atlanta is a HEMI. But as employees in search of work-life balance, can we truly say that quality of life for the region is firing on all cylinders when traffic congestion takes away so much of our time?

For many commuters, dealing with traffic delay has become another problem that we simply grow to tolerate. But how many of us have ever paused to really contemplate just how much time we're spending each day in gridlock? A regional survey found that the average roundtrip commute in metro Atlanta is 72 minutes each day -- more than one hour each day spent just getting to and from our place of employment.

This means over the course of a year (240 workdays), the average metro Atlanta commuter is forfeiting about 12 days (17,280 hours) worth of free time in order to slog through traffic. Does this finding surprise you? More importantly, does it make you want to change the situation?

Outside of listening to books on tape, it's hard to be productive (and safe) when you're behind the wheel. If you want to reclaim some of the time you're losing on your daily commute, the best decision is to let someone else do the driving. Read something from the passenger seat of a carpool. One group of carpoolers started a book club on wheels. Get work done while riding on the train. Or eliminate your commute time altogether and work from home when practical.

As much as we want to pretend otherwise, there are only 24 hours in the day. What would it mean to have some of that time back? An IBM commuter study conducted in 2008 found that 47.4% of Atlanta respondents indicated if their commute were significantly reduced, they would spend more time with friends and family – highest of all cities surveyed.

So, if you could free up some extra time by getting out of traffic, how would you use it? Where does time rank in terms of your pursuit of work-life balance? Chime in and share your thoughts.

This is an ideal time to reflect on the past year and look ahead with anticipation to the future. We know what stories made headlines in 2008 as they relate to The Clean Air Campaign's mission. Here are a few themes that defined 2008 as they relate to you:

Personal Finance
$4 a gallon gas stormed onto the scene and made it financially painful to drive. None of us knew if the price would ever come back down, so many of us started to use alternatives like carpooling, riding transit, teleworking, vanpooling, even bicycling to work. The Clean Air Campaign had a breakthrough year as a result, with enrollment in our incentive programs up three times over the levels achieved in 2007.

This unprecedented demand for access to our financial incentives is a reflection of the economic challenges more commuters and employers are facing as we all come to grips with the recession. It's also the reason The Clean Air Campaign and its partner organizations have made a business decision to change the maximum payout of our $3 a day incentive that rewards solo drivers who make the switch to an alternative commute. Effective January 1, 2009 the cap for this incentive will change from $180 to $100 so that more commuters can take advantage of this popular program, which is now entering its eighth year.

Public Health
Despite tougher air quality standards, metro Atlanta experienced fewer smog days than in 2007. In all, there were 29 days when conditions either reached unhealthy levels for sensitive groups (Code Orange, 25 days)) or unhealthy levels for all (Code Red, 4 days). But if the region were still under the old standard for measurement -- as we were in 2007 -- it is likely that we would have only observed 15 smog days.

Are the actions of Georgia commuters moving the needle on air quality? Too early to tell. Although the region has been coping with a prolonged drought, the late summer brought unusually cooler temperatures and conditions that were less conducive to allow ground-level ozone to form. But the impact of gas prices meant fewer cars on the road -- and fewer tailpipes contributing to poor air quality.

Quality of Life
A study of traffic in major metro areas ranked Atlanta's as the second most painful commute, behind only Los Angeles. Not a designation to boast about, but it's easy to see why traffic is such a grind here: the average roundtrip daily commute in metro Atlanta takes 72 minutes to complete. We're giving up meaningful time we could be spending with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, advancing our interests.
One finding from this study reveals 40% of Atlanta respondents indicated they had intentionally skipped a car trip because of expected traffic. Does that sound like you?

"Father Time" is performing a somewhat symbolic gesture this New Year's Eve before the clock ticks down on 2008. One second will be added to 2008 in order to rebalance a small discrepancy with the atomic clock kept by the scientific community. We get one extra second to enjoy life. How will you spend it? Here's hoping you don't have to spend it behind the wheel stuck in traffic.

In the spirit of the season, we decided to pay homage to one of the most well-known holiday poems, “The Night Before Christmas.” Putting a special twist on the classic rhyme, we call this version “The Commute Before Christmas.”

‘Twas the nighttime commute and all through the town,
The holiday traffic had everyone down.
No commuters in cars were moving at all,
They just sat still behind the miles-long traffic wall.

Horns were all honking, there was no spreading cheer,
As everyone shouted, “Let’s get outta here!”
“I wished I had carpooled,” lamented a driver,
“I know that decision would have been much wiser.”

Forget all this waiting and sitting alone,
We could be teleworking from the comfort of home.
“I think I’ll try it,” one driver said,
And enjoy a short commute from the desk to the bed.

Watching the MARTA train breeze quickly past,
The drivers all wished that they could move that fast.
We’ll never get anywhere with all these cars on the road,
We’ve got to do something to ease up the load.

Then a bright idea popped into their heads:
Let’s all try taking a clean commute instead!
I hear you save money and clean up the air,
Sounds like a great way to show the planet we care.

“We all discovered,” the drivers shouted with glee
“That clean commuting is best for the holidays you see!”
You beat all the traffic and save lots of time,
You don’t get frustrated while waiting in line.

We save lots of gas and earn extra cash too,
With Cash for Commuters they’ll pay you, it’s true!
Carpool, take transit – earn $3 a day
The savings add up and can go a long way.

What are you waiting for, give it a try,
You’ll smile as you kiss all the traffic goodbye.
If Santa could try it you know what he’d say,
“I love clean commuting, it’s the best way!”

From all of us at The Clean Air Campaign, we wish you and your family a happy (and traffic-free) holiday season.

The holidays are a time of reflection for many people. So, speaking in terms of commuting and sustainability, what stands out to you about 2008? And what, if anything, are you going to do differently next year? Weigh in on this blog and take our latest web poll. We'd love to hear your thoughts.

With the nation’s economy experiencing so many interrelated failures, investors in the stock market have experienced the equivalent of a financial root canal. After feeling that huge jolt of pain, people are devoting their attention to two things:

1. Making the best use of the resources they have
2. Finding a safe place to get a good return on their investment

It’s no different for policymakers in Georgia, as they come to grips with the challenge of fixing what is regarded as the nation’s second-worst traffic on a shoestring budget.

Enter the state’s transportation task force and the “Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today” (IT3) initiative. IT3 is the state’s vision for better mobility in the future. But the realities of the statewide funding shortfall today dictate how far the plan can go. That’s why the focus of IT3 is unquestionably on getting the biggest bang for the buck.

A report issued in late-November provided a glimpse into the “return on investment” of different activities. What was found to move the needle the most on improving mobility? Getting cars off the roads and rethinking the daily commute.

Spending $220 million on demand management initiatives like telework, flexible work arrangements and other programs that make an immediate impact on reducing traffic is projected to yield $40 billion in reduced congestion costs over the next 30 years.

By comparison, spending $26 billion (that’s billion with a “b”) on new infrastructure is projected to yield the same $40 billion result.

Certainly the state needs to invest heavily in new transportation options as the population continues to surge. But the reality is that we cannot afford to wait years for new projects to come online. While the state sorts through funding options for transportation, the IT3 task force’s findings confirm that we must concentrate on making the best use of the resources we have.

So, where do you think the smart money is? More commuter rail? Expanded telework options for employees? More carpooling incentives? Post your ideas and be part of the conversation.