Even with a reduction in driving caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Californians still found themselves stuck in traffic, according to an annual study released Tuesday.
San Diegans lost 14 hours of the year while waiting on congested highways and streets, according to the 2020 Global Traffic Scorecard released by transportation analytics firm Inrix Inc.
It was worse though in Escondido, where drivers lost 26 hours a year to congestion. In Oceanside it was 12 hours.
“COVID-19 has completely transformed when, where and how people move,” said Bob Pishue, an Inrix transportation analyst. “Government restrictions and the continued spread of the virus led to shifts in travel behavior seemingly overnight. Morning commutes in cities across the world went without delay as people reduced auto and transit travel to offices, schools, shopping centers and other public spaces.”
The San Diego region pales though in comparison to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Los Angeles moved up one slot in the rankings of the most congested urban areas in the country, to fifth, with the average commuter in the metro area losing 45 hours per year to congestion.
In San Francisco, meanwhile motorists found themselves mired in traffic even longer, for 47 hours.
New York, with 100 hours lost due to congestion, ranked as the most congested U.S. city, followed by Philadelphia (94 hours) and Chicago (86 hours).
Washington, D.C. (29 hours) saw the largest decrease globally in congestion, down 77% compared to last year.
Still, with the pandemic, Americans lost only 26 hours on average due to congestion in 2020, down from 99 hours in 2019.
That resulted in savings of $51 billion, or $983 per driver, the report estimated.
“Although travel to downtowns has been the most affected by the spread of the virus and subsequent government restrictions, the reduction in congestion has resulted in quicker commutes for essential workers, more reliable deliveries and streamlined freight movement, all of which are vital to the economy,” Pishue said. “We expect downtown trips will continue to lag suburban and rural travel through 2021.”
Drivers in Bogota, Columbia lose 133 hours a year, leaving it the most congested city in the world.
City News Service contributed to this report.
