Want to Spend Sixty Hours in Gridlock? Or on a Beach? The Choice is Yours
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Written by admin on August 20, 2008 – 10:20 pm
An appropriate story for DC’s first CarFree Day: A new study by the Texas Transportation Institute reveals that traffic in the Washington, DC metro area has gotten so bad that we are now tied for second worst commute in the nation.
The Washington Post’s coverage of this study reports that drivers in the top three areas sit in “gridlock for an average of 60 hours a year, equivalent to a week-and-a-half of work - or vacation.”
Some other numbers might make you consider sitting behind the wheel:
Washington area drivers annually sit through “more than 127 million hours of delays at a cost of $1,094 per rush-hour traveler.”
Gas wasted while sitting in traffic: 91 million gallons of fuel.
And a grim assessment of the future of this area if traffic congestion continues to multiply at this rate: “A projected 218 lane miles or 74 million more transit riders would have to be added each year just to maintain current congestion levels.”
For tips on reclaiming your time, money, and eliminating road-rage, check our “how-to” section for ideas on how to go car-free. It might be easier than you think.
