Which Metro Area is worst for traffic?

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by tenken627

1) Los Angeles - 93 hours Average annual delay per commuter
2) San Francisco - 72 hours
3) Washington D.C. - 69 hours
4) Atlanta - 67 hours
5) Houston - 63 hours
6) Dallas - 60 hours
7) Chicago - 58 hours
8) Detroit - 57 hours
9) Riverside, CA - 55 hours
10) Orlando - 55 hours

America's Worst Commutes - Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/12/19/worst-commutes-america-biz-cx_ee_1219worstcommutes.html - broken link)

Boston and NYC area (North Jersey) doesnt even crack the top 10.

New York's expressways (not freeways) are not too congested surpisingly.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by ajf131

I think that Chicago and New York win this one hands down followed closely by Los Angeles. If you ask me, merging I-90 and I-94 together was the absolute worst idea imaginable to mankind in Chicago. I-90 really needs more traffic relief on it through downtown.

The merged portions of 90/94 are anywhere from 10 to 14 lanes wide in addition to a 94 bypass around the city (294) that's 6 to 8 lanes wide -- what more do you want?? It's not like they didn't have the foresight to increase the capacity in the merged parts to account for the fact that it's portions of two interstates with the higher traffic volume implied therein. The merge isn't the problem -- The Kennedy/Dan Ryan aren't any more congested than any other expressway into the city. In fact, when it's not under construction, the Dan Ryan is probably the most free-flowing expressway into/out of downtown. (No surprise -- it's also the one that's 14 lanes wide.) The problem is that traffic has grown exponentially and the expressway easements are landlocked through rather densely populated areas. There's really no way to expand capacity any more without destroying tens of thousands of homes, except maybe to build a second layer elevated above the first, but that would be cost-prohibitive.

[chiefs fan]

I used to think Houston traffic was a total pain, until I moved to Atlanta. I think what drives me crazy about Atlanta traffic is the lack of alternate routes if things get clogged up. I never thought I would say this, but I miss Houston's traffic.

Of course, I haven't driven in any of the cities listed in the poll....so it's possible Atlanta is a cake walk compared to these.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by tenken627

1) Los Angeles - 93 hours Average annual delay per commuter
2) San Francisco - 72 hours
3) Washington D.C. - 69 hours
4) Atlanta - 67 hours
5) Houston - 63 hours
6) Dallas - 60 hours
7) Chicago - 58 hours
8) Detroit - 57 hours
9) Riverside, CA - 55 hours
10) Orlando - 55 hours

America's Worst Commutes - Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/12/19/worst-commutes-america-biz-cx_ee_1219worstcommutes.html - broken link)

Boston and NYC area (North Jersey) doesnt even crack the top 10.

I'd have to agree on NYC traffic, not as bad as sevral others on this list. Washington D.C., L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, ....Houston in the outer loop

[tenken627]

Out of that top 10 list, which of those cities have a subway system besides D.C. and Chicago?

[milquetoast]

Originally Posted by tenken627

1) Los Angeles - 93 hours Average annual delay per commuter
2) San Francisco - 72 hours
3) Washington D.C. - 69 hours
4) Atlanta - 67 hours
5) Houston - 63 hours
6) Dallas - 60 hours
7) Chicago - 58 hours
8) Detroit - 57 hours
9) Riverside, CA - 55 hours
10) Orlando - 55 hours

America's Worst Commutes - Forbes.com (http://www.forbes.com/business/2006/12/19/worst-commutes-america-biz-cx_ee_1219worstcommutes.html - broken link)

Boston and NYC area (North Jersey) doesnt even crack the top 10.

It's been Los Angeles officially for more than 20 years now, and why is Riverside listed separately? I'm so sick of metro L. A. being split up for reasons of stupidity! People in the Inland Empire driving into the city, that's why Riverside is on that list! Just add it to the Los Angeles metro where it belongs.