New York Traffic Conditions Are Now Among The Worst In The USA

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By Etta Bowen


Road rage due to traffic jams is not a new phenomenon to New Yorkers. Commuters in the City Of Dreams now annually waste approximately 53 hours being stuck behind the wheel due to road congestion. Economic growth and prosperity also earned the Big Apple another distinction - that of being dubbed one of the worst traffic cities in America. New York traffic now ranks fifth on the Top Ten list for worst traffic in the USA.

Stress, frustration and road rage due to over-crowded roads are some of the negative side-effects of modern times. Few things are more stressful and frustrating than missing a deadline or an important event or meeting due to being stuck in slow-moving traffic. It is thus small wonder that commuters these days shoot, attack and kill one another for the slightest provocation.

Road pricing in the form of tolls has thus far only managed to increase the blood pressure and stress levels of commuters without any noticeable improvement of the underlying problem. Paying toll money to buy less combusted roads has only affected their wallets and caused commuters to take detours in order to avoid the tolls - causing even more frustration and time wastage.

According to the latest reports based on the acclaimed INRIX Traffic Scorecard, there has been a 20 percent increase in the average travelling time of New Yorkers due to over-crowded roads. This data, gathered from various sources and statistics, is considered to be the most accurate and reliable indicator of traffic conditions in metropolitan cities in the United States. Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco and Austin topped the list, with commuters of the City of Angels now losing a whopping 64 hours per year due to combusted roads.

Knowing the problem is one thing, but solving it seems to be a horse of a different color. We cannot all commute by public transport or ride a bicycle to work. The vast distances and varied destinations to which city workers have to travel daily make public transport an inadequate solution - especially in huge metropolitan cities such as New York.

Finding a workable and sustainable solution for over-crowded roads is not an easy feat. Many cities do not have the infrastructure for effective public transport. Many people also prefer to commute with their own car since it gives them more freedom regarding time schedules and running other errands which they cannot do without a car.

The fact that New York is not the only city affected by this problem does not make it easier. The opposite is more true - if a top world city like New York has no idea how to combat the problem, what hope is there for third world cities that do not have the money, means or expertise and where the population growth is ten times bigger than in first world countries?

The fact that such anti-congestion tolling systems have proven to work in some cities such as London, does not necessarily mean it will be equally successful in other cities. Any campaign aimed at raising public support for such a system will have to focus on switching public opinion where it matters, namely offering tangible advantages to the commuters.




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