Many people spend a significant amount of time in traffic driving to and from their workplace. In fact, the average American sits in traffic for about 55 hours per year on average. Here are four U.S. cities that have exceptionally long commutes.
- Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capital city includes a large number of commuters who drive in from sprawling suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. While D.C. has a better metro system than most U.S. cities, public transportation commuters still face delays and repair work that can interfere with their travels. This might be one reason why close to 75% of all commuters do so by car while traveling to their office building contractor Sacramento CA or other place of employment.
- Newark, New Jersey
Just outside of New York City, Newark commuters experience routine heavy traffic and delays while getting to work. This can be somewhat offset if heading towards New York by using the PATH network and New Jersey Transit commuter rail systems. Newark residents can expect to get to New York’s Penn Station in around 30 minutes. However, traveling in any other direction is another story.
- Los Angeles, California
Residents of Los Angeles sit in traffic an average of around 130 hours per year. A whopping 84% of commuters in this car-oriented city get to and from work via personal vehicle. Unlike some other U.S. cities, Los Angeles public transportation users do not fare any better on time and convenience.
- Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta’s geographically large size contributes to its long commute time of 82 hours per year on average. With rapidly expanding suburban areas, this number is not likely to decrease anytime soon. Commuters can opt for the MARTA public transit system, but coverage to non-metro Atlanta is lacking.
If you are in or near any of these four cities, be aware that your commute may be a bit longer than usual.
