Congestion Plummets in 2008
Our friends at Jalopnik took the time to assemble Google Earth images of America’s 20 most congested cities and included detailed traffic information about the most gridlocked areas.
The results are far from shocking: Los Angeles, New York and Chicago come in first, second and third place, respectively. Perhaps more interesting are the changes in traffic congestion. Overall, traffic fell off the proverbial cliff in 2008; the 100 largest metropolitan areas saw a 29% average decrease in congestion. The summer’s high gas prices and the following economic crisis, of course, shoulder the blame.
Some of the most dramatic numbers belong to Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif., which saw congestion drop by a stunning 57% (as Jalopnik points out, this is matched very neatly with a 55% fall in median home prices). Then you have embattled Detroit: Despite having the 11th largest population in the country, the Motor City has the 19th highest level of congestion due to a 47% decrease in traffic as its economy continues to shrink.
Follow the link to see if your city is on the list. You can also find out important traffic information like the change in congestion and the worst times of day to be on certain roads or freeways.
The 20 Most Traffic-Congested Cities in America (Jalopnik.com)
