
Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Cole County, Missouri
Traffic The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network. | vehicles per day4,248 |
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Trucks The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles. | 7.9% |
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Average travel time The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network. | 29.1 min |
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Congestion ratio The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network. | 16.1% |
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Drivers’ average age Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated. | 46.9 yrs |
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Drivers’ average income Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated. | $77,758 |
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A typical monitored road in Cole County, Missouri sees 4,248 vehicles per day, while its 392 miles of monitored roads together handle 1,899,346 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈693 million per year). Trucks are a smaller part of the mix than across Missouri: 7.9% against 9.8%.
Shorter trips than 90% of counties in Missouri
Cole sees 25% lower average daily traffic volume than the state average (4,248 vehicles per day against 5,631), suggesting less demand on each road - a critical factor for logistics and site planning. Across the whole network, that travel is about 1.1% of Missouri's statewide total. 81% of counties in Missouri see less traffic than Cole's 4,248 vehicles per day.
Journey times run 7% lower than the state level, at 29.1 minutes on average. 90% of counties in Missouri have a longer average travel time than Cole's 29.1 minutes.
Congestion runs 17% lower than the state level, at a ratio of 16.1%, which means smoother traffic flow - relevant for traffic control and delivery planning.
Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

Highway Traffic in Cole County, Missouri
| Traffic | vehicles per day12,396 |
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| Trucks | 10.1% |
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| Average travel time | 34.3 min |
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| Congestion ratio | 29.3% |
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| Drivers’ average age | 47.1 yrs |
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| Drivers’ average income | $75,839 |
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Highways carry more than half of all travel in Cole County, Missouri (56% of vehicle-miles). The average highway carries 12,396 vehicles per day, 227% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 3,791 vehicles per day.
With 26% of the road miles (101 miles in 354 segments), highways punch above their length, carrying 1,072,186 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈391 million per year).
80% of counties in Missouri move less traffic on their highways.
Lower highway truck share than 85% of counties in Missouri
The concentration of trucks on highways (10.1%) is 25% lower than the state average for similar road classifications. Highways here mostly serve passenger trips, so local access matters more than long-haul routing for logistics operators.
Cole's highway truck share (10.1%) is lower than 85% of counties in Missouri. 55% of counties in Missouri see more highway trucks per day than Cole's roughly 1,251.

Non-highway Traffic in Cole County, Missouri
| Traffic | vehicles per day3,791 |
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| Trucks | 5.0% |
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| Average travel time | 28.8 min |
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| Congestion ratio | 15.4% |
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| Drivers’ average age | 46.8 yrs |
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| Drivers’ average income | $79,913 |
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Local roads carry a significant share of travel in Cole County, Missouri: 44% of all vehicle-miles. On the average non-highway road, that comes to 3,791 vehicles per day.
Spread over 291 miles and 6,320 segments, 74% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 827,160 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈302 million per year). The truck share on non-highway roads is 5.0%.
Drivers from higher-income areas than 89% of counties in Missouri
The concentration of trucks on non-highway roads is 50% lower than on highways.
At 17% lower than the state level, the non-highway congestion ratio of 15.4% signals easier movement on local roads.
89% of counties in Missouri see lower average driver income among trip origins than Cole. The driver population here skews younger than 78% of counties in Missouri.