Data Shows More Traffic Delays In NYC, Fairfield County
STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - Time wasted in traffic went up by three hours in New York and Fairfield County, Conn. last year.
As WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reported, one reason may be the improving economy.
The company behind the INRIX smartphone traffic app for years has reported that New York and Bridgeport are in the top ten among all U.S. cities when it comes to traffic congestion.
This year, the cities rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in the new survey of U.S. cities.
INRIX found 61 U.S. cities saw increasing congestion in 2013. Just six could say that in 2012.
The survey shows commuters in Bridgeport wasted more than 4 hours last month stuck in traffic. Commuters in New York spent nearly 5 hours behind the wheel in gridlock last month, INRIX data showed.
Job growth and a recovering economy are good news, Murnane noted. But with the gains come loses in productivity thanks to legendary backups on the Cross Bronx Expressway, as well as a stretch of Interstate 95, the Van Wyck Expressway, the Long Island Expressway and the Pulaski Skyway.
Austin and the Boston area showed a more dramatic increase in traffic congestion than New York and Connecticut, according to the data.
INRIX said the data shows the need for investment in so-called connected car and other smart technologies. Building more roadway, according to the company, is not the answer.
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