Bay Area Traffic Congestion Has Worsened by 80 Percent Since 2010
Traffic congestion in the Bay Area is 80 percent worse today than it was in 2010, according to a new report from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
Drivers in 2016 spent more time crawling along Bay Area freeways and at speeds lower than 35 miles per hour. In fact, the average driver in 2016 spent 3.5 minutes per commute driving slower than 35 mph, which is a nine percent increase from the year before. That increase set a new record, while also marking the fourth consecutive year that traffic congestion hit a new high.
The report also pointed out that the afternoon commute on U.S. 101 and Interstate 80 from the I-280 interchange in San Francisco to the Bay Bridge’s Yerba Buena Island Tunnel remains the very worst stretch of traffic in the region. You could make a case that the No. 2 stretch, the westbound I-80 drive from State Route 4 in Hercules to Fremont Street in San Francisco, is even worse. It’s the only segment in the region’s 10 most congested corridors not commute-dependant and does not let up between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.
According to a Mercury News report, the increase in traffic congestion does reflect the booming regional economy. Commute patterns show where people are finding new jobs and new homes. For example, the evening commute on State Route 4 through Concord rose from 16th place up to 10th place, surpassing the ranking of the evening commute on Highway 101 through San Mateo.