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Tables 3-1 and 3-1M. Miles of Infrastructure by Transportation Mode: 1980-2005

Road infrastructure increased slowly over the past two decades despite a large increase in the volume of traffic. Between 1980 and 2005, route miles of public roads increased by 3.9 percent compared with a 96 percent increase in vehicle-miles traveled (vmt). Over the same period, miles of railroad dropped by more than 20 percent, while rail shipments (measured in ton-miles) increased by 81 percent.

Table 3-1 (standard units)
Table in Excel format | Historical data

empty Cell 1980 1990 2000 2005 Percent change,
1980-2005
Public roads, route miles 3,859,837 3,866,926 3,951,101 4,011,631 3.9
National Highway System (NHS) N N 161,189 162,373 N
Interstates 41,120 45,074 46,673 46,871 14.0
Other NHS N N 114,516 115,502 N
Other N N 3,789,912 3,849,257 N
Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRAHNET) N N 62,066 62,450 N
Interstate N N 46,675 46,873 N
Non-Interstate N N 15,389 15,577 N
Railroad 1183,077 175,909 170,512 140,810 -23.1
Class I NA 133,189 120,597 95,664 NA
Regional NA 18,375 20,978 15,388 NA
Local NA 24,337 28,937 22,519 NA
Inland waterways empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell
Navigable channels 11,000 11,000 11,000 11,000 0.0
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway 2,342 2,342 2,342 2,342 0.0
Pipelines empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell
Oil 218,393 208,752 176,996 159,512 NA
Gas 1,051,774 1,189,200 1,369,300 1,437,500 36.7

Key: N = not applicable; NA = not available; R = revised.

1Excludes intermodal connectors serving intercity bus, Amtrak, and public transit facilities.
2Excludes Class III railroads.

Sources:
Public roads: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table HM-16.
Rail: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: various issues).
Navigable channels: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
GreatLakes-St. Lawrence Seaway: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, "Seaway Facts," available at http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/aboutus/seawayfacts.html as of June 6, 2007.
Oil pipelines: 1980-2002: Eno Transportation Foundation, Transportation in America, 2002 (Washington, DC: 2002). 2003: U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline Statistics, Internet site http://ops.dot.gov/stats/stats.htm as of June 6, 2007.
Gas pipelines: American Gas Association, Gas Facts (Arlington, VA: Annual issues).


Table 3-1M (metric units - kilometers)
Table in Excel format | Historical data

empty Cell 1980 1990 2000 2005 Percent change,
1980-2005
Public roads, route kilometers 6,211,806 6,223,214 6,358,681 6,456,095 3.6
National Highway System (NHS) N N 259,409 261,314 N
Interstates 66,176 72,540 75,113 75,432 14.0
Other NHS N N 184,296 185,882 N
Other N N 6,099,272 6,194,779 N
Strategic Highway Corridor Network (STRAHNET) N N 99,886 100,504 N
Interstate N N 75,116 75,435 N
Non-Interstate N N 24,766 25,069 N
Railroad 1294,634 283,098 274,412 226,612 -23.1
Class I NA 214,347 194,082 226,612 N
Regional NA 29,572 33,761 24,765 N
Local NA 39,167 46,570 36,241 N
Inland waterways empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell
Navigable channels 17,703 17,703 17,703 17,703 0.0
Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway 3,769 3,769 3,769 3,769 0.0
Pipelines empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell empty Cell
Oil 351,469 335,954 284,847 256,710 N
Gas 1,692,666 1,913,832 2,203,675 2,313,432 36.7

Key: N = not applicable; NA = not available; R = revised.

1Excludes Class III railroads.

Note: 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers.

Sources: Public roads: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table HM-16.
Rail: Association of American Railroads, Railroad Facts (Washington, DC: various issues).
Navigable channels: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
GreatLakes-St. Lawrence Seaway: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System, "Seaway Facts," available at http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/aboutus/seawayfacts.html as of June 6, 2007.
Oil pipelines: 1980-2002: Eno Transportation Foundation, Transportation in America, 2002 (Washington, DC: 2002). 2003: U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline Statistics, Internet site http://ops.dot.gov/stats/stats.htm as of June 6, 2007.
Gas pipelines: American Gas Association, Gas Facts (Arlington, VA: Annual issues).

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