Report: Miami ranks nationally 5th for worst traffic, 9th worldwide
DORAL - A new report ranks Miami as the 5th worst metro area for traffic in the country, and 9th in the world, up there with cities like New York and London, but how much more time is it really taking up these days? CBS4 looked into it.
"The typical driver lost 105 hours last year," Bob Pishue, INRIX Transportation analyst said.
INRIX a transportation data based out of Washington tabulated the rankings, and the results didn't surprise many drivers in Miami-Dade County.
"From exit 9 Homestead, to over here in Doral it takes almost an hour when there's traffic than on the way leaving work going back it takes even longer," Isaac David, a commuter said.
By comparison, INRIX estimates the typical American only lost 51 hours in traffic. Not only that, Miami's top speeds during the peak is slower. In 2021 it was 34 miles per hour, then in 2022, it was 25 miles per hour.
Part analysts with INRIX says congestion is so bad is because of newcomers moving to South Florida, and all the restaurants and nightlife destinations that draw people.
"Hope is here, solutions are on their way, and they should give transit a try," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said.
The Mayor understands the frustrations, that's why she told CBS4 mass transit is being built up along busy corridors.
"We have a major improvement underway the Smart plan, the South-Dade Transit Way is half done, we expect within the year people will be able to ride in comfort on express busses, from Florida City to Dadeland and then to metro rail," she explained.
In addition, she said the northeast corridor just got a new rail station in Aventura, with build-out expected to go up to Hard Rock Stadium. The Metro Mover is planned to extend to Miami Beach in a few years. But when it comes out west, no train lines are being planned as of yet, though there is an express bus service.
"The Kendall Corridor is one that has not been decided on, and one that I've been pushing for a long time, and we'll do something in the future," she said.
It's an issue the Board of County Commissioners is still reviewing. In the meantime, for some like David will have to endure losing about 2 hours of time to traffic, he's hoping Miami's ranking doesn't get worse next year.