DC Area Traffic Congestion Ranks 3rd Worse

DC Area Traffic Congestion Ranks 3rd Worse

The next time a customer trades in that low-mileage vehicle, consider this: Washington area commuters averaged 84 hours a year sitting in traffic in 2000. Thatês a lot of idle time. But it could be worse, according to the Texas Transportation Instituteês annual study of 75 urban areas. A rush-hour driver in Los Angeles averaged 136 hours and those in San Francisco averaged 92 hours.

Rounding out the top ten cities with the worst rush hour commutes were: Seattle, 82 hours; Houston, 75 hours; Dallas-Fort Worth, 74 hours; San Jose, 74 hours; New York, 73 hours; Atlanta, 70 hours; and Miami, 69 hours.

All in all, the study found that rush hours last longer and are more widespread. The average urban motorist in 2000 spent 62 hours sitting in traffic 2 _ days compared with 16 hours in 1982. And more than half the major roads in those 75 areas are crowded during rush hours, compared with just a third in 1982. The congested time is now lengthening and now incorporates more roads and more travel than in the past,’ said the report. Even the smaller areas are not able to keep pace with rising demand.