Bay Area Commuters Spending 100+ Hours A Year In Traffic, Study Finds
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – In what should come as no surprise to commuters on the Bay Area's congested roads, a new study finds the region is again among the worst in the nation, with drivers spending more than four days a year in traffic.
According to the Urban Mobility Report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, commuters in the San Francisco-Oakland area spent over 103 hours stuck in delays in 2017, the second worst in the nation. Time spent in traffic is up from 95 hours in 2012 and up from 86 hours in 2007.
Drivers in San Francisco and Oakland wasted 45 gallons of fuel sitting in traffic, the study found, which is the highest in the nation.
The San Jose area, which was measured separately, was fifth worst in the nation, with drivers spending 81 hours in traffic over the course of a year.
Along with the time and ecological costs, researchers said traffic congestion costs the economy in the San Francisco and Oakland areas $4.7 billion, while costing the San Jose area $2.36 billion.
The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area remained the most congested area in the country, with drivers spending 119 hours, nearly 5 days, stuck in traffic.
The Urban Mobility Report, studied conditions in 494 urban areas across all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.