AAA today released its list of some of the country's worst "Commuter Hot Spots" and launched a nationwide grassroots campaign to urge Congress to pass the federal transportation funding reauthorization bill. The nation's largest auto club also offered tips on how motorists can deal with the daily grind of rush hour commutes.
AAA says its "Commuter Hot Spots" include some of the worst chokepoints that commuters face nationwide. The locations carry large volumes of traffic and result in some of the longest delays in the country, according to a survey of AAA's local club transportation experts..
"Many cities are quickly approaching the point of gridlock, yet Congress has been deadlocked for almost two years trying to pass a bill that provides a consistent flow of revenue to address these serious mobility needs," said Susan Pikrallidas, AAA Vice President of Public Affairs. "Failure to pass this bill will only exacerbate gridlock and put on hold important safety programs that are vital to the nation's transportation users. AAA is asking Congress to work with laser-like focus to pass a transportation funding bill.".
Some of the worst "Commuter Hot Spots" include roads and bridges in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, New York City, Seattle and the Washington, D.C. area (see list below). The chokepoints include areas where the number of lanes is quickly reduced, where several roads merge, where unfinished construction projects continue and where economic development has outpaced road capacity..
"We are urging AAA members and the general public to write to their Congressmen and Senators telling them to act quickly to meet the nation's transportation needs," said Pikrallidas. "Motorists pay for transportation through their federal gas tax dollars. They expect to see those dollars working to reduce congestion, create viable mobility options if they prefer to leave their cars at home, and support a variety of traffic safety programs.".
AAA's Commuter Hotspots, 2005
The following is not a definitive top ten list but illustrative of the worst hotspots commuters face each day in this country.
Boston, MA Interstate 93 north and southTraffic from western suburbs comes to a halt as 34,000 cars from I-88 merge with 43,000 cars from the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290)every day. The road goes down to a single lane for 1 1/2 blocks before opening up to multiple lanes, so what should be a 20-minute trip to the city may end up taking well over an hour.
Dallas, TX Interstate 35 at Interstate 30Known as the "Mix Master" by local motorists, these two local highways merge and struggle to carry more than 200,000 vehicles per day from downtown through the steep hills of "The Canyon."
Los Angeles, CA Interstate I-710 FreewayThis freeway currently carries over 47,000 trucks per day. This is almost equivalent to 15 percent of the nation's total sea-borne cargo volume. The movement of goods to, from and through Southern California will continue to grow as the region's economy does. The existing configuration cannot handle current truck and traffic volumes and the anticipated increases will make the heavily congested conditions even worse.
Los Angeles, CA US 101/405 InterchangeLocated in the San Fernando Valley area north of Beverly Hills, this intersection handles commuters headed for downtown Los Angeles from west and north of the city. Traffic congestion lasts for about five hours every weekday afternoon.
Salt Lake City, UT Interstate 15 and the SR-92 InterchangeLakes to the west and the Wasatch Range to the east have funneled explosive population growth into this corridor. This interchange connects an existing two-lane highway to the interstate in a rapidly developing area; it is predicted that residents will see traffic increase 275 percent in the next five years alone.
Atlanta, GA Interstate 75 at I-85 InterchangeKnown as the "Downtown Connector" these roads intersect about three miles north of downtown Atlanta. It passes through midtown and downtown Atlanta in a north/south direction. This interchange has one of the highest volumes of highway traffic in the country, carrying more than 340,000 vehicles per day.
New York, NY G.W. Bridge Exit Ramp for North Bound Major Deegan ExpresswayThis spiraling ramp is congested by trucks that must weave across two lanes to get to the upper level of the George Washington Bridge. The result is traffic jams on both the Deegan and Cross Bronx expressways. Traffic jams can last from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in the evening from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., adding up to six and half hours of congestion daily.
Seattle, WA SR 520 BridgeAt the heart of Seattle's traffic congestion is SR 520 - one of Puget Sound's major arteries for transporting people and goods. One of the oldest floating bridges in the world, the SR 520 Evergreen Point Bridge is at the end of its useful life and needs to be replaced for the safety of the traveling public. If this bridge were to suffer a seismic failure, travel time between downtown and Seattle and Redmond would nearly double from an average of 33 minutes to 55 minutes.
Washington, DC Area I-495 at the I-270 InterchangeThis is one of the most congested sections of the Capital Beltway for Washington DC area commuters. It crosses through both Maryland and Virginia. I-270 terminates where it meets I-495 and runs northwest to Frederick, Maryland. Traffic volumes at the I-495 and I-270 interchange are extremely high in both the morning and evening commutes. Breakdowns and accidents on this span can have a major impact on the traffic flow in both Maryland and Virginia suburbs.
In addition, AAA is also offering advice on what the frustrated commuter can do today:
- Telecommute/Flex Time. More and more companies are warming up to the idea of allowing employees to work from home or travel to work during off-peak times.
- Public Transit/Ride Sharing. Leaving the driving to someone else or sharing the burden of driving in traffic can lower stress levels. In some areas, carpooling or taking public transit allows commuters to travel in High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes that can shorten commute times..
- Take a Couple Deep Breaths. If you must endure the worst that rush hour has to offer, try to relax. Listen to classical music, audio books, talk radio or something else to help make the time go by. Give yourself ample travel time so that you do not feel rushed - traffic causes more stress when you're on a tight schedule or running late..
- Contact Congressional Representatives. Go to and let your voice be heard by sending your congressional delegation an email, a letter, or call their offices directly. Click on "Legislative Alert" and type in your ZIP Code to find contact information for your U.S. Representative and Senators.
As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its over 47 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
