This dataset contains the historical estimated congestion for over 1,000 traffic segments, starting in approximately March 2018. Older records are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/77hq-huss. The most recent estimates for each segment are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/n4j6-wkkf. The Chicago Traffic Tracker estimates traffic congestion on Chicago’s arterial streets (non-freeway streets) in real-time by continuously monitoring and analyzing GPS traces received from Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Two types of congestion estimates are produced every 10 minutes: 1) by Traffic Segments and 2) by Traffic Regions or Zones. Congestion estimates by traffic segments gives observed speed typically for one-half mile of a street in one direction of traffic. Traffic Segment level congestion is available for about 300 miles of principal arterials. Congestion by Traffic Region gives the average traffic condition for all arterial street segments within a region. A traffic region is comprised of two or three community areas with comparable traffic patterns. 29 regions are created to cover the entire city (except O’Hare airport area). There is much volatility in traffic segment speed. However, the congestion estimates for the traffic regions remain consistent for a relatively longer period. Most volatility in arterial speed comes from the very nature of the arterials themselves. Due to a myriad of factors, including but not limited to frequent intersections, traffic signals, transit movements, availability of alternative routes, crashes, short length of the segments, etc. Speed on individual arterial segments can fluctuate from heavily congested to no congestion and back in a few minutes. The segment speed and traffic region congestion estimates together may give a better understanding of the actual traffic conditions.

This dataset contains the historical estimated congestion for 1270 traffic segments, in selected time periods from August 2011 to May 2018. Newer records are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/sxs8-h27x. The most recent estimates for each segment are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/n4j6-wkkf. The Chicago Traffic Tracker estimates traffic congestion on Chicago’s arterial streets (non-freeway streets) in real-time by continuously monitoring and analyzing GPS traces received from Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Two types of congestion estimates are produced every 10 minutes: 1) by Traffic Segments and 2) by Traffic Regions or Zones. Congestion estimates by traffic segments gives observed speed typically for one-half mile of a street in one direction of traffic. Traffic Segment level congestion is available for about 300 miles of principal arterials. Congestion by Traffic Region gives the average traffic condition for all arterial street segments within a region. A traffic region is comprised of two or three community areas with comparable traffic patterns. 29 regions are created to cover the entire city (except O’Hare airport area). There is much volatility in traffic segment speed. However, the congestion estimates for the traffic regions remain consistent for a relatively longer period. Most volatility in arterial speed comes from the very nature of the arterials themselves. Due to a myriad of factors, including but not limited to frequent intersections, traffic signals, transit movements, availability of alternative routes, crashes, short length of the segments, etc. Speed on individual arterial segments can fluctuate from heavily congested to no congestion and back in a few minutes. The segment speed and traffic region congestion estimates together may give a better understanding of the actual traffic conditions. Current estimates of traffic congestion by region are available at http://bit.ly/Vz3rIh.

This dataset contains the historical estimated congestion for over 1,000 traffic segments, starting 6/11/2024 (except for a single time slice on 3/8/2024). Older records are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/sxs8-h27x. The most recent estimates for each segment are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/n4j6-wkkf. The Chicago Traffic Tracker estimates traffic congestion on Chicago’s arterial streets (non-freeway streets) in real-time by continuously monitoring and analyzing GPS traces received from Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Two types of congestion estimates are produced every 10 minutes: 1) by Traffic Segments and 2) by Traffic Regions or Zones. Congestion estimates by traffic segments gives observed speed typically for one-half mile of a street in one direction of traffic. Traffic Segment level congestion is available for about 300 miles of principal arterials. Congestion by Traffic Region gives the average traffic condition for all arterial street segments within a region. A traffic region is comprised of two or three community areas with comparable traffic patterns. 29 regions are created to cover the entire city (except O’Hare airport area). There is much volatility in traffic segment speed. However, the congestion estimates for the traffic regions remain consistent for a relatively longer period. Most volatility in arterial speed comes from the very nature of the arterials themselves. Due to a myriad of factors, including but not limited to frequent intersections, traffic signals, transit movements, availability of alternative routes, crashes, short length of the segments, etc. Speed on individual arterial segments can fluctuate from heavily congested to no congestion and back in a few minutes. The segment speed and traffic region congestion estimates together may give a better understanding of the actual traffic conditions.

This dataset contains the historical estimated congestion for the 29 traffic regions, starting in approximately March 2018. Older records are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/emtn-qqdi. The most recent estimates for each segment are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/t2qc-9pjd. The Chicago Traffic Tracker estimates traffic congestion on Chicago’s arterial streets (non-freeway streets) in real-time by continuously monitoring and analyzing GPS traces received from Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Two types of congestion estimates are produced every 10 minutes: 1) by Traffic Segments and 2) by Traffic Regions or Zones. Congestion estimates by traffic segments gives observed speed typically for one-half mile of a street in one direction of traffic. Traffic Segment level congestion is available for about 300 miles of principal arterials. Congestion by Traffic Region gives the average traffic condition for all arterial street segments within a region. A traffic region is comprised of two or three community areas with comparable traffic patterns. 29 regions are created to cover the entire city (except O’Hare airport area). There is much volatility in traffic segment speed. However, the congestion estimates for the traffic regions remain consistent for a relatively longer period. Most volatility in arterial speed comes from the very nature of the arterials themselves. Due to a myriad of factors, including but not limited to frequent intersections, traffic signals, transit movements, availability of alternative routes, crashes, short length of the segments, etc. Speed on individual arterial segments can fluctuate from heavily congested to no congestion and back in a few minutes. The segment speed and traffic region congestion estimates together may give a better understanding of the actual traffic conditions. Current estimates of traffic congestion by region are available at http://bit.ly/103beCf.

This dataset contains the historical estimated congestion for the 29 traffic regions, from January 2013 to May 2018. Newer records are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/sxs8-h27x. The most recent estimates for each region are in https://data.cityofchicago.org/d/t2qc-9pjd. The Chicago Traffic Tracker estimates traffic congestion on Chicago’s arterial streets (non-freeway streets) in real-time by continuously monitoring and analyzing GPS traces received from Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses. Two types of congestion estimates are produced every 10 minutes: 1) by Traffic Segments and 2) by Traffic Regions or Zones. Congestion estimates by traffic segments gives observed speed typically for one-half mile of a street in one direction of traffic. Traffic Segment level congestion is available for about 300 miles of principal arterials. Congestion by Traffic Region gives the average traffic condition for all arterial street segments within a region. A traffic region is comprised of two or three community areas with comparable traffic patterns. 29 regions are created to cover the entire city (except O’Hare airport area). There is much volatility in traffic segment speed. However, the congestion estimates for the traffic regions remain consistent for a relatively longer period. Most volatility in arterial speed comes from the very nature of the arterials themselves. Due to a myriad of factors, including but not limited to frequent intersections, traffic signals, transit movements, availability of alternative routes, crashes, short length of the segments, etc. Speed on individual arterial segments can fluctuate from heavily congested to no congestion and back in a few minutes. The segment speed and traffic region congestion estimates together may give a better understanding of the actual traffic conditions. Current estimates of traffic congestion by region are available at http://bit.ly/103beCf.

This table provides the traffic studies in hourly bins and some statistics. The SDOT Traffic Counts group runs studies across the city to collect traffic volumes. Most studies are done with pneumatic tubes, but some come from video systems as well. Use the field study_id to match it with other tables for more information.