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Traffic heat map of Bristol City, Virginia: 53 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on I 81 and Lee Highway

Bristol City, Virginia Traffic Counts

How busy are the roads of Bristol City, Virginia? We measure 53 road miles, divided into 1,187 segments, with multi-sourced, cross-verified mobile and sensor data. Its busiest road, I 81, carries 38,075 vehicles a day, 3.8 times the average road. The breakdown below covers volume, trucks, congestion and driver profiles for retailers, logistics planners and engineers.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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total traffic icon

Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Bristol City, Virginia

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day9,925
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

9.8%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

32.8 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

24.6%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

51.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$62,051

Our data shows 9,925 vehicles per day on the average road in Bristol City, Virginia, and 566,820 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈207 million per year) across its 53 miles of monitored roads. Trucks are 9.8% of traffic, close to the 9.6% across Virginia.

Traffic 86% above the Virginia average

Bristol sees 86% higher average daily traffic volume than the state average (9,925 vehicles per day against 5,349), suggesting more demand on each road - heavy exposure for roadside retail, and tight road space for deliveries. Across the whole network, that travel is about 0.3% of Virginia's statewide total. By volume, Bristol's 9,925 vehicles per day outpaces 92% of counties in Virginia.

The average trip takes 32.8 minutes, on par with the state level. Its average travel time of 32.8 minutes is longer than 61% of counties in Virginia.

Congestion runs 46% higher than the state level, at a ratio of 24.6%, which means more pronounced congestion - expect slower peak-hour deliveries and less predictable arrival times.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Bristol City, Virginia

Trafficvehicles per day12,412
Trucks14.9%
Average travel time39.2 min
Congestion ratio22.5%
Drivers’ average age51.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income$62,118

Highways carry about half of all travel in Bristol City, Virginia, 54% of vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 12,412 vehicles per day, 28% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 9,681 vehicles per day.

Highways make up 36% of the monitored road miles (19 miles, 106 segments), so they carry more than their share: 305,054 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈111 million per year).

Higher highway truck share than 69% of counties in Virginia

Highway truck concentration here runs 14% higher than the state average, at 14.9%. The highway traffic mix is typical for Virginia: neither freight- nor commuter-dominated.

69% of counties in Virginia see a lower highway truck share than Bristol's 14.9%. 62% of counties in Virginia see fewer highway trucks per day than Bristol's roughly 1,852.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Bristol City, Virginia

Trafficvehicles per day9,681
Trucks3.9%
Average travel time32.1 min
Congestion ratio24.8%
Drivers’ average age51.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income$61,995

Local roads carry about half of all travel in Bristol City, Virginia, 46% of vehicle-miles. A typical local road sees 9,681 vehicles per day.

Local roads make up 64% of the monitored road miles (34 miles in 1,081 segments) but carry less than their share of travel: 261,766 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈95.5 million per year). Trucks make up 3.9% of non-highway traffic, about 1 in 26 vehicles.

Local congestion 58% above the Virginia average

The concentration of trucks on non-highway roads is 74% lower than on highways.

At 58% higher than the state level, the non-highway congestion ratio of 24.8% signals more friction on local roads.

Trip origins here have lower average income than 73% of counties in Virginia. The driver population here skews older than 73% of counties in Virginia.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 11:00 AM–12:00 PM and a long afternoon plateau from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 79% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are somewhat quieter: volumes run about 14% below weekday levels, the usual weekend dip.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
Traffic is nearly flat through the year: even May–July, the busiest stretch, runs only +4% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -11% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Bristol City, Virginia, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and traffic stays steady through the year (+4% in high season).

Bristol City vs. Virginia Traffic Comparison

Bristol City's biggest difference from the Virginia average is its average daily traffic per road, 86% above it.

MetricBristol CityVirginia averageDifference
Traffic9,9255,349+85.5%
Truck % (Total Traffic)9.8%9.6%+2.6%
Truck % (Highway)14.9%13.1%+13.9%
Avg. Travel Time32.8 min31.7 min+3.5%

How Bristol City compares

Bristol City has the busiest roads among its nearby counties and cities

Against the 4 nearest areas, Bristol City is 122.5% more congested and carries 138.3% more traffic on a typical road; it has the busiest roads of the five. The mirror image of a big network: fewer road-miles carrying heavier traffic, so the travel here is concentrated rather than spread out.

Bristol City and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Virginia average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Bristol City9,9259.8%566,82032.8 min24.6%
Washington County, Virginia3,89214.6%2,144,29135.2 min15.4%
Sullivan County, Tennessee6,1739.3%3,795,25236.1 min13.7%
Johnson County, Tennessee3,0887.9%231,46331.7 min8.7%
Russell County, Virginia3,5038.7%648,76250.8 min6.3%
Virginia average5,3499.6%N/A31.7 min16.8%

Bristol City ranked within Virginia

Average daily traffic volume places Bristol City #12 of 133 in Virginia - the top quarter of the state.

Bristol City ranked among 133 county-level areas in Virginia (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 118.
MeasureBristol CityVirginia rank
Traffic volume (AADT)9,925#12 of 133
Highway vehicle-miles per day305,054#86 of 118
Truck share on highways14.9%#37 of 118
Highway trucks per day1,852#45 of 118
Average travel time32.8 min#52 of 133
Average driver income$62,051#97 of 133
Average driver age51.4 yrs#37 of 133

Busiest roads in Bristol City, Virginia

On their busiest stretches, the three busiest roads in Bristol City carry 25,348 vehicles a day on average, 2.6 times the typical road in the county (9,925).

I 81 leads with 38,075 vehicles a day, 6,088 of them trucks (16.0%). That is 83% more than the next road, Lee Highway (20,822). It also carries the most trucks.

Few trucks use Lee Highway: 3.5% of its traffic, under half the county's 9.8%.

Trucks make up 16.0% of traffic on I 81, against 9.8% across all roads in the county.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 81Motorway · 38,075vehicles6,088trucks · 16.0%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
29.5%
Median trip time
41.8 min
Drivers’ median age
51.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$62,566

The busiest stretch of I 81 carries 3.8 times the county average; trucks are 16.0% of it, above the county-wide 9.8%.

2Lee HighwayPrimary road · 20,822vehicles727trucks · 3.5%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
43.1%
Median trip time
34.5 min
Drivers’ median age
51.3 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$64,477

Travel on Lee Highway's busiest stretch runs 43% over free-flow time, against 25% across the county, so expect slower peak hours.

3State StreetPrimary road · 17,148vehicles700trucks · 4.1%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
36.0%
Median trip time
27.1 min
Drivers’ median age
51.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$54,458

At 73% more than the county average, State Street draws drivers from neighborhoods averaging $54,458 in household income.

4Old Airport RoadTertiary road · 16,325vehicles593trucks · 3.6%
Road class
Tertiary road
Congestion ratio
38.5%
Median trip time
26.9 min
Drivers’ median age
51.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$65,217

Old Airport Road is one of the more congested roads here: trips take 39% longer than at free-flow speed, against 25% county-wide.

5Commonwealth AvenueTrunk road · 15,745vehicles927trucks · 5.9%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
18.5%
Median trip time
30.4 min
Drivers’ median age
51.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$58,414

Commonwealth Avenue is busy by local standards, at 59% more than the county average on its busiest stretch; trucks are 5.9% of it, below the county-wide 9.8%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1I 81Motorway · #1 by traffic38,075vehicles6,088trucks · 16.0%
2Commonwealth AvenueTrunk road · #5 by traffic15,745vehicles927trucks · 5.9%
3I 381Motorway · 13,801vehicles925trucks · 6.7%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
16.0%
Median trip time
33.9 min
Drivers’ median age
51.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$62,138

I 381 peaks at 13,801 vehicles a day, 39% more than the county average; trucks are 6.7% of it, below the county-wide 9.8%.

4Lee HighwayPrimary road · #2 by traffic20,822vehicles727trucks · 3.5%
5State StreetPrimary road · #3 by traffic17,148vehicles700trucks · 4.1%
How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

BristolDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Bristol City

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Bristol City, Virginia.

Need segment-level traffic data?

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