World Car Population Breaks 1 Billion. How Much is Illinois'?
By Chris Bentley in News on Aug 24, 2011 7:20PM
If road rage is getting the best of you lately, you probably aren’t the only one. A recent report by Ward’s Auto says the world car “population” topped 1 billion for the first time ever in 2010.
Of course much of that is due to the soaring growth enjoyed by China, until recently. The 16.8 million new cars registered in China in 2009 and 2010 accounted for almost half the year’s global increase.
The U.S. still has more cars than any other nation (239.8 million), with roughly three cars for every four people. Illinois accounts for about 3 percent of that total, with 7.1 million registered passenger vehicles.
All that motoring has some pretty predictable — and aggravating — effects that are anything but foreign to our fine city. Chicago has some of the worst traffic in the country. And vehicle travel (not including flight) accounts for 18 percent of Chicago’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Center for Neighborhood Technology.
Mayor Emanuel wants to add 100 miles of bike lanes in his first term, a goal on which he's starting to deliver. But civic groups like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning say the city should invest more in public transit.
If you’re stuck on the Dan Ryan this afternoon, at least you’ll be in good company.