Pandemic has changed Houston's commuting habits, according to new study

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- When the pandemic struck, Houston hit the brakes, with much of the city staying at home. Now that we have adapted to a "new normal" a year later, some transportation trends seem to be sticking around.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, weekly average driving is down 9% in Houston, according to a study from Bumper Data Analysis.

Texas is among the states that saw the largest weekly decrease in driving post-lockdown with a 3% drop. That tied with New York. Hawaii, California, Florida and Arizona were the only states with greater decreases in traffic. Analysts attribute much of that to a decline in tourism in those states as well.

SEE ALSO: Google tracking Texas traffic patterns during pandemic

Houston's public transportation use is down 44%.

Walking as a mode of transportation has grown. It's up 5%. That may not seem like a big jump, but Houston ranks second in the nation for large cities on how much walking has increased, according to Bumper. Only Dallas saw a bigger increase in walking - up 8%.

RELATED: What the COVID-19 crisis has done to Houston's traffic


The city of Houston's Vision Zero Project is working to help improve pedestrian safety, especially around intersections. If you are walking on a street without a sidewalk, walk on the left side of the street, so you can see oncoming traffic.

SEE ALSO: 100+ mph speeding tickets up during quarantine