Washington, D.C. Officially Has the Worst Gridlock in the USA
A study from Texas A&M’s Transportation Institute and INRIX has shown what the people of Washington, DC have known for years—the DC area has the worst traffic in all of the United States.
This statistic comes from a broader report called the 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard, which ranks cities based on traffic statistics, including “congested travel,” or gridlock.
This “congested travel” in Washington, DC totals about 82 hours of delays in 2014. This is greater than Los Angeles’ 80 hours, San Francisco’s 78 hours, and New York City’s 74 hours.
All in all, that 82-hour delay totals up to an estimated 35 wasted gallons of gas, adding up to $1,800 wasted in time and fuel per commuter. That is a staggering number, and the highest in the nation.
The study also includes a Travel Time Index and Planning Time Index, showing you how long a typical 20-minute trip would take, as well as how many extra minutes you should plan into your trip to make sure you get there on time. For DC, the Travel Time Index suggests that, with light traffic, a normally-20-minute drive elsewhere will take 27 minutes in DC, and the Planning Time Index suggests you add 50 minutes of travel time to that same drive, just in case.
The study suggests that employees and employers should look into telecommuting.
News Source: Wtop.com
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.