Providence commuters lost 53 hours to traffic jams last year

PROVIDENCE DRIVERS LOST 18 minutes last year for each hour driven during peak commute periods, adding up to 53 hours on average lost last year, according to the 2013 TomTom Traffic Index. Above, a chart depicting the worst (red) and best (green) commute times in the Providence metro area. / COURTESY TOMTOM
PROVIDENCE DRIVERS LOST 18 minutes last year for each hour driven during peak commute periods, adding up to 53 hours on average lost last year, according to the 2013 TomTom Traffic Index. Above, a chart depicting the worst (red) and best (green) commute times in the Providence metro area. / COURTESY TOMTOM

PROVIDENCE – Despite its small size compared with many North American metropolises, Providence ranks as the 38th most traffic-congested city in the United States and Canada, according to a new report released by GPS-device manufacturer TomTom.

Drivers in Providence with at least a 30-minute commute spent an average 53 hours in traffic jams last year, TomTom said. That works out to 18 minutes lost to traffic delays for each hour driven during peak commute periods.

The 2013 data reflected worse delays than the previous year, in 2012, when drivers lost on average 50 hours due to traffic congestion. Providence ranked 37th in the 2012 TomTom report.

Boston ranked No. 19 in the 2013 report, climbing from its place at No. 25 last year. With Boston drivers losing an estimated 69 hours last year due to traffic jams, up from 67 hours in 2012, Boston ranked among the three cities in North America with the largest year-over-year increases in urban traffic congestion.

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Los Angeles ranked as the most congested city in the U.S. and Canada, followed by Vancouver, Canada; San Francisco; Honolulu and Seattle – the same five cities that topped the list last year. However, in a ranking that including Latin and South American cities, Rio de Janeiro ranked highest, while Mexico City placed second and Sao Paulo placed third, just above Los Angeles.

TomTom compiles its annual Traffic Index in order to pinpoint congestion trouble spots and use their GPS technology to help route drivers away from those areas and increase overall road capacity.

“Contrary to popular belief, there are often multiple ways to reach a destination and avoid traffic congestion,” TomTom wrote in the report. “If a small percentage of drivers uses different (and faster) routes, congestion can be alleviated across the entire road network, thereby benefitting all drivers.”

To view the complete 2013 TomTom Traffic Index report, visit www.tomtom.com.

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