Boston ranked among top 5 worst cities for traffic in the world (fit in, lease)

[mascoma]

https://www.boston25news.com/news/lo...OMIS47VC2TWVY/

Boston has been ranked among the top five worst cities for traffic in the world, with time lost to congestion skyrocketing by 72 percent last year, according to a new study.

I have noticed I have to leave earlier and earlier all the time to get to my favorite place - Symphony Hall. They keep making all the streets narrower! 2 lanes now for Beacon and Tremont. Maybe I can save up and buy a helicopter to land on to of the building and drop me off.

[msRB311]

Get ready for everyone here to say yeah but Boston is so great in every other way so....

But I'm with you, traffic sucks around here. Not just in Boston but the like 45 min outside of it in quite a few places.

[id77]

Originally Posted by mascoma

https://www.boston25news.com/news/lo...OMIS47VC2TWVY/





I have noticed I have to leave earlier and earlier all the time to get to my favorite place - Symphony Hall. They keep making all the streets narrower! 2 lanes now for Beacon and Tremont. Maybe I can save up and buy a helicopter to land on to of the building and drop me off.

I'm not convinced they actually got data from all major cities around the world and not just the US and parts of Europe. There's at least half a dozen cities in China alone that make even London look like low traffic congestion, but I expect China's not sharing that data.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by id77

I'm not convinced they actually got data from all major cities around the world and not just the US and parts of Europe. There's at least half a dozen cities in China alone that make even London look like low traffic congestion, but I expect China's not sharing that data.

Yes to all of this. I'd add that there's probably no way to standardize data collection across the world. Ultimately, each country (hell, each city) is going to collect traffic data a bit differently. There are also different metrics for what constitutes a metro area, city proper, etc. in each country. So the catchment area for the sample will not be equal in each city/metro area.

Traffic in Boston is abysmal. That much is fairly indisputable. But I think it's debatable that it's one of the 5 worst in the U.S., let alone the world.

[charolastra00]

This claims traffic is 10% less than pre-pandemic but it sure doesn't feel that way.

Growing up in Atlanta, we frequently topped the charts for traffic in the 90s and 2000s. But what I realized when I was back over the summer is that while there's a lot of traffic, especially in the suburban sprawl, the whole region is built around cars. There are wide streets, turning lanes, etc etc to accomodate the growing population.

Boston by and large doesn't have space to grow the roads with the number of people commuting - a lot of the major roads are only 2 lanes so just getting across town can take 20 minutes. Couple that with more people moving out to the suburbs who need to commute into the city due to COL and a commuter rail system that only works for some (i.e. those who can get to the parking lot by 7am before it fills, going from suburb to Boston and not suburb to suburb), you have a real mess.

[newenglandgal123]

Hence why more companies seriously need to consider setting up base outside the city in the 495 belt or in neighboring states to spread the wealth. It's pretty ridiculous to feel like you have to set up shop in Boston. Not all new grads or experienced employees want to live and work in the city so I don't even want to hear they'd be missing out on talent if located outside the city as a reason!

[msRB311]

Which is why I continue to advocate for people who can to be able to WFH. This doesn't seem to fit in with the agendas of many company's which is a shame for the roads, people's time and the environment. People are too worried about making as much profit as possible and think someone's butt needs to be sitting in a seat in an office.

[newenglandgal123]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Which is why I continue to advocate for people who can to be able to WFH. This doesn't seem to fit in with the agendas of many company's which is a shame for the roads, people's time and the environment. People are too worried about making as much profit as possible and think someone's butt needs to be sitting in a seat in an office.

Yes, more WFH is another solution. But you're right...there's too much 'culture club' where companies need to see onsite presence for team bonding and butts in seats to justify their overhead. After all, they are still stuck paying rent until their lease is up or until they can sell their building.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

Yes, more WFH is another solution. But you're right...there's too much 'culture club' where companies need to see onsite presence for team bonding and butts in seats to justify their overhead. After all, they are still stuck paying rent until their lease is up or until they can sell their building.

Yep. I for one am shocked that so many companies went back to mandatory in office time. It does seem like many are hybrid...but I really thought more offices would embrace remote work...I did hear of a few places that sold their Boston offices to either go all in on remote or moved...but most seem to just want it to be business as usual.

[newenglandgal123]

Also, I know this is focused on Boston being worst for traffic, but really so many places in MA, even suburban towns are horrendous now. Roads are just so clogged here....what should be a 5 minute drive to the local Dunkins....can be 15 minutes. How many here have been staying home more due to traffic and congestion? I know I have...traffic is just one of those things that'll aggravate me b/c it leads to so many folks getting road rage due to impatience. I watched 2 impatient drivers this AM pass the garbage truck stopped on my street...the garbage truck was already starting to move from picking up my neighbors trash and the cars couldn't wait 20 more seconds so they both floored it into the oncoming traffic lane in order to beat the trash truck so they could get in front of it!