Why is NYC so much traffic?

At a hearing about Manhattan traffic this morning convened by Borough President Gale Brewer, a simple consensus emerged: The fundamental issue is the limited amount of street space in the Manhattan core and the practically unlimited demand to use it.



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Trying to get into NYC during rush hour (or out of it during rush hour) is generally much worse than the LA freeways at rush hour although in LA you can find yourself stopped and in such times they can be comparable.

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1 U.S. city with the worst traffic: Chicago, IL. Chicago ranked as the U.S. city with the highest traffic delays in 2022.

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The numbers fleeing New York remained steady as the year progressed, moreover, with about 25 percent of the departures occurring in the final quarter of the year, and more than 5,000 leaving in December 2022. The scores of thousands of New Yorkers who left are not alone.

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Driving in NYC can be a stressful and time-consuming experience, and New Yorkers on average spend more than 100 hours per year in traffic. But that's not the worst in the world, or even the U.S. Anyone who drives in New York City knows how stressful and frustrating the traffic jams can be.

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Most people who live in New York City don't own cars, finding it far more convenient to use the city's elaborate public transport system of buses, subway, and trains to get around boroughs and out of town. Of course, there are those famous yellow taxis to get you from point A to point B too.

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Is it faster to walk or drive in NYC? It depends on where you're going but generally speaking it's faster to drive, especially if you want to explore more than one borough. Rush hour in New York tends to be between 8 - 9am and 3 -7pm, so avoid these hours if time is of the essence.

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Make sure you tune in to a station with traffic updates. Try out local stations on AM radio. Avoid roads and areas with heavy construction. The toughest times to travel in and out of Manhattan are between 8-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. If you can, try to avoid rush hour or consider some alternate routes.

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