New York City drivers are experiencing some of the worst traffic in the country, according to a new report.
Geolocation technology specialist TomTom has its Traffic index 2023 which analyzes factors such as time, costs and CO2 emissions per kilometer driven.
None other than the Big Apple claimed the top spot for the worst traffic in the country.
Researchers found that commuters in New York took 24 minutes and 50 seconds to drive six miles in 2023, 20 seconds longer than the year before.
In addition, drivers spent another 43 percent of their time in traffic.
Geolocation technology specialist TomTom has released its traffic index for 2023. New York City drivers are experiencing some of the worst traffic in the country
New York City was named the city with the worst traffic in 2023 after drivers traveled about six miles for 24 minutes and 50 seconds, 20 seconds longer than the year before
Although Los Angeles didn’t rank first, the city did have the worst traffic congestion of the top 10, with drivers spending a whopping 53 percent more time in traffic
Although Los Angeles has long been hailed as the city with the worst traffic, it wasn’t even close: It came in at number nine, with an average of a 15-minute drive of six miles.
However, the City of Angels had by far the worst traffic congestion, at a whopping 53 percent.
California was also the only state with two cities in the top 10.
San Francisco came in third, with an average of 20 minutes and 30 seconds to drive six miles. On average, commuters lost no less than 75 hours during rush hour last year.
The spot above the Bay Area city was taken by Washington, D.C., which came in second.
The average journey time in the capital was 21 minutes and 20 seconds for just ten kilometers of driving. Commuters lost 86 hours due to rush hour traffic in 2023.
In fourth place was Boston, with an average travel time of 19 minutes and 10 seconds per six miles. Next was Chicago, at 17 minutes and 50 seconds per six miles.
Drivers in both cities lost as many as 86 hours due to rush hour traffic in 2023.
Baltimore came in sixth, taking drivers 17 minutes and 40 seconds to travel about ten miles – although traffic congestion in this city was the lowest in the top 10 at 22 percent.
Seattle followed, with an average travel time of 15 minutes and 50 seconds. Commuters in the Emerald City spent 55 hours in rush hour traffic last year.
Next was Philadelphia, where it took drivers 15 minutes and 40 seconds to cover ten miles. Congestion was a comfortable 27 percent.
Los Angeles came ninth, followed by Miami, which completed the top 10 with an identical average travel time of 15 minutes per ten kilometers, but with fewer traffic jams.
Washington, DC came in second, with commuters losing 86 hours to rush hour traffic by 2023
Baltimore ranked sixth, but congestion was the lowest in the top 10 at 22 percent
Boston came in after New York, DC and San Francisco. Drivers lost no less than 86 hours in rush hour traffic here last year
Cities across the country have recognized the need to address the frustrating gridlock, with the Big Apple leading the way.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced in June that the state’s congestion pricing plan, the first of its kind, had received federal approval after an extensive environmental review.
Starting in April, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will implement a toll for drivers under 60th Street in New York.
The initiative is intended to reduce traffic and air pollution in bustling Lower Manhattan and Midtown. The income from the toll will go towards the renewal of the public transport system.
There are other initiatives in the works in California, including one focused on Central Los Angeles and nearby areas such as the San Fernando Valley.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has announced that its traffic reduction study has entered the early planning stages.
The study would explore ways to reduce congestion and pollution, in addition to making roads safer and speeding up transit. As in New York, one of the ideas on the table is congestion pricing.