Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) measures the total miles driven by vehicles in a specific area. Because Raleigh is a growing city that has historically grown around driving, it has a relatively high VMT. However, land use and transportation planning that enables people to rely less on cars will reduce how much on average city residents drive, also called per capita VMT. Land use and transportation planning can also reduce the overall total miles driven, even as the city welcomes new jobs and residents. For example, even as downtown Raleigh has added thousands of new residents, the number of vehicle trips on downtown streets has dropped over the last few decades.
Strategies that make streets safer and more comfortable for walking and biking, as well as faster and more reliable transit, make it easier to get places without driving. A number of City projects and programs reduce VMT and promote walking, biking, and taking transit.