Los Angeles Metro Area vs Tri-State Area Traffic (cost, America, people)

[DrPizza]

Who has the worst? NY-CT-NJ has the smaller 6-10 lane highways, but over 60% of people in the Tri-State Area use Mass-Transit. Los Angeles has wider roads, but a smaller mass-transit system only used by 10%.

New York Highways To Consider:
George Washington Bridge (14 Lanes: Most Traveled Bridge In The World)
Cross Bronx Expressway (Worst in America By INRIX in 2013)
Van Wyck (Connects JFK Airport)
I-95 Port Chester, NY-Bridgeport, CT (I know some people from LA who say they never seen a stretch of highway worse than this: 35 Miles)
Merritt Parkway (Stamford-Trumbull: 25 miles)
Manhattan City Streets

Los Angeles Highways To Consider:
I-405 (most traveled road in US: 2nd worse b INRIX)
I-105 (connects LAX)
I-5 (Main Gateway Through LA)
RT-101 (Main Highway through Downtown)
I-15 (Connects Las Vegas to LA)

[Nafster]

Do you know why they named it the 405?

(Wait for it.....)

Because you never go more than 5 miles an hour.

God I wish I ACTUALLY made that joke up.

[DistrictDirt]

Originally Posted by Nafster

Do you know why they named it the 405?

(Wait for it.....)

Because you never go more than 5 miles an hour.

God I wish I ACTUALLY made that joke up.

Hiyoooo....that's a total dad joke if I ever heard one lol

I checked Google Maps to see the traffic on the 405 the day after the new lanes opened and it was still completely red. I guess that $1.1 billion and years of traffic delays were totally worth it. They could have paid for some of the cost of the future Sepulveda Pass rail line and tunnel with that.

[kidphilly]

In my experience the 405 is the most consistently gridlocked stretch I have seen - meaning seems nearly always clogged

I have seen longer traffic jams - like the NJTP can have 35-40 mile backups, especially on holiday travel times but generally (meaning most times) is moving ok whereas the 405, not so much.

I've been in a horrible traffic jam on local streets in Brooklyn around noontime on a regular weekday. 35 minutes to move maybe 5 miles.

[nei]

My guess:

1) LA is worse in rush hour.
2) Outside of rush hour, NYC is more prone to random jams.

The busiest NYC routes are mainly carried by rail, so there's isn't as much as a Manhattan peak as one might expect, though the bridges and tunnels are traffic chokepoints. Outside the expressways, it's no contest. NYC arterials are narrower and slower going (more lights, random chaos). Local roads are very slow.

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by nei

My guess:

1) LA is worse in rush hour.
2) Outside of rush hour, NYC is more prone to random jams.

The busiest NYC routes are mainly carried by rail, so there's isn't as much as a Manhattan peak as one might expect, though the bridges and tunnels are traffic chokepoints. Outside the expressways, it's no contest. NYC arterials are narrower and slower going (more lights, random chaos). Local roads are very slow.

for the 405 I almost feel the opposite

[DynamoLA]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

for the 405 I almost feel the opposite

Actually I feel it's the opposite for all freeways in LA, not just the 405.

I think traffic in rush hour for NYC is probably worse than LA, but LA is more prone to random "WTF" moments on weekends, late at night, holidays, etc.

Yes I've been in monster traffic jams in LA during all of those times.

[nei]

Hmm ok. I'm not familiar with LA traffic at all, so I'll admit I'm guessing. We need someone who's familiar with both (hard to find?) or real data.

[pwright1]

I find New York 's worst. Its compact size with all of those people, the water surrounding Manhattan, the narrow streets to get to the freeways make it much worse imo. Add on the tunnels, tolls and bridges along with the old inadequate freeways makes it worse imo. LA's freeways are bad but the city streets don't seem as bad as in the New York area.

[Road_Warrior]

I've been in NYC traffic at 3AM wondering if a helicopter could pick me up.

But, Los Angeles is just ridiculous. Sad, really.