What are the worst days for traffic around Boston?
By Jordyn Jagolinzer, WBZ-TV
BOSTON - If you've noticed the traffic is picking up lately, it's not your imagination. Commuters say they are experiencing longer-than-usual drive times - and some days are worse than others.
A driver from Norton tells WBZ-TV her commute has doubled over the past couple of months.
"It probably took 35 minutes from Norton to Milton, and now it takes 45 to an hour," she said. "With traffic, it can be an hour and a half."
Others are finding new ways to get to work.
"Back roads to avoid the traffic," another driver said.
Mark Schieldrop from AAA says the pandemic has made the typical 9-5 work schedule a thing of the past. Now they're seeing mostly quiet traffic on Mondays and Fridays outside the city.
"It seems to be worse on Tuesday and Wednesday and maybe the middle of the week," he said.
Traffic persists despite the U.S. Census data showing Massachusetts has one of the highest work-from-home rates in the country at just under 24%.
"Many of those people actually do choose to go the office now and then," Schieldrop said.
MassDOT data shows that for Mass Pike commuters, Wednesday morning is the worst. And as travelers head west for the weekend, Friday night can get pretty bad.
For drivers on 93 and 95, Tuesday and Thursday take the cake for giving you a headache.
"Traffic volumes are pretty close to where they were before the pandemic," Schieldrop said. "We're not quite there, but we're pretty close."
So what should you do? While it may not be what you want to hear, AAA says leaving earlier is the best solution.