New Yorkers may not have noticed but a recent study by Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University has New York accident lawyers noting that traffic problems are rebounding right along with the economy.
The 2010 Urban Mobility Report presented by Texas Transportation Institute reminds us that the recovering economy also brings growth in traffic congestion problems to larger U.S. urban areas.
In the previous two years, 2008 being the best year for commuters, traffic congestion showed a slight decline. Researchers feel that the procedure used to calculate congestion has improved more than ten-fold.
“We have a great deal more confidence in the numbers we now have for the chaotic years of 2007, 2008 & 2009,” researcher Shawn Turner said. “Thanks to technology, we are using data that simply could not have been gathered a few years ago.”
Obtaining hour-by-hour speed data is the most significant change from previous reports.
The 2010 report makes the following conclusions:
-The average commuters’ yearly peak delay was 34 hours in 2009, up 14 hours from 1982.
-In 1982 the annual cost of commuting was $351 per commuter. For 2009, this rose to an average of $808 per commuter.
-There were 3.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel in 2009; equivalent to 130 days of an Alaskan pipeline flow.
-The cost of congestion in 1982 was $24 billion compared to $115 billion in 2009.
Urban mobility data specific to the eastern region (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) concluded:
-In 2009, 32 gallons of fuel were wasted per commuter due to sitting in traffic.
-Time wasted per average commuter was 42 hours in 2009.
-The cost of congestion for 2009 equated to an average of $999 per commuter.
Based on the results, researchers put together some proposed strategies to reduce traffic congestion. One suggestion is to diversify land development by making walking, biking, and mass transit more practical to commuters.
Commuters should be given more options. For instance, alternate routes, telecommuting, or express lanes all make sense to reduce tragic congestion. Another suggestion to help with commuter travel time is to offer flexible work shifts or carpooling with another coworker. One last suggestion is to add roadways or public transportation in places where it is needed. Many commuters have to drive to where they catch a bus or train; offering more options would be helpful in keeping them off the roads while getting to their final destination.
Researcher Tim Lomax stated “The most effective strategy is one where agency actions are complemented by efforts of businesses, manufacturers, commuters and travelers. Each region must identify the projects, programs and policies that achieve goals, solve problems and capitalize on opportunities.”
New York commuters will never escape traffic congestion problems due to the vast number of people commuting and tourists who visit the city each day. At best, they can hope to travel during non-peak times to reduce travel time and travel costs.
If you have been injured in an accident in New York City, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Rose. Call for a free consultation at 1-877-313-ROSE (7673). Serving the New York City and Long Island area.
