A new study released identifies America’s 50 worst bottlenecks, and five N.J. locations fall on the list.
We all know New Jersey is a tough place to drive. But is it the worst place to drive?
A new study shows there are a few spots that could be designated as just that.
A new study released Monday by the American Highway Users Alliance identifies America’s 50 worst bottlenecks and finds that the very worst bottleneck, as measured by hours of delay, is in Chicago, Ill. Los Angeles owns the next six of the top 10.
Five New Jersey locations – one of which is shared with New York – fall in the top 50. They are (with their ranking in parenthesis):
- New York-New Jersey New York Lincoln Tunnel between 10th Ave and John F Kennedy Blvd (8th in U.S.)
- New Jersey I-95 between SR 4 and Palisades Interstate Pkwy in Fort Lee (18th in U.S.)
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between I-95 and Central Ave in Newark (19th in U.S.)
- New Jersey US 1&9 between Wilson Ave and I-78 (31st in U.S.)
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between Tonnelle Ave and Broadway (37th in U.S.)
The report also looks at the annual time delay at each artery (in hours); annual financial loss because of the delay at each chokepoint; and the annual amount of fuel wasted (in gallons).
According to the report:
- New York-New Jersey Lincoln Tunnel: 3,400,000 annual time delay in hours; $87 million financial impact; 1,730,300 gallons wasted
- New Jersey I-95 between SR 4 and Palisades Interstate Pkwy: 1,500,000 annual time delay in hours; $38 million financial impact; 810,680 gallons wasted
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between I-95 and Central Ave: 1,400,000 annual time delay in hours; $36 million financial impact; 856,960 gallons wasted
- New Jersey US 1&9 between Wilson Ave and I-78: 800,000 annual time delay; $21 million financial impact; 291,720 gallons wasted
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between Tonnelle Ave and Broadway: 600,000 annual time delay; $15 million; 347,620 gallons wasted.
In an American Highway Users Alliance press press release, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the report “furthers the unassailable truth that America is stuck in traffic. The good news is that this problem is solvable, and Congress can be part of the solution. As a long-term surface transportation bill moves through conference, I urge our elected leaders to provide the funding growth and policies that are necessary to improve commutes, to raise the bar for safety, and to keep the country moving in the 21st century.”
Besides identifying and ranking the nation’s 50 worst traffic bottlenecks, the study, “Unclogging America’s Arteries 2015,” examines the top 30 chokepoints closely and details many of the major benefits that will accrue to society by fixing them. In addition to improving mobility and quality of life for motorists, fixing the top 30 bottlenecks alone would, over 20 years.
Here are the top 50 bottlenecks in the country:
- Chicago, Ill. I-90 between Roosevelt Rd and N Nagle Ave
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-405 between SR22 and I605
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-10 between Santa Fe Ave and Crenshaw Blvd
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-405 between Venice Blvd and Wilshire Blvd
- Los Angeles, Calif. US 101 between Franklin Ave and Glendale Blvd
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-110 between Exposition Blvd and Stadium Way
- Los Angeles, Calif. US 101 between Sepulveda Blvd and Laurel Canyon Blvd
- New York-New Jersey New York Lincoln Tunnel between 10th Ave and John F Kennedy Blvd
- New York I-95 between I-895 and Broadway
- Austin, Texas I-35 between East Riverside Dr and E Dean Keeton St
- Los Angeles I-5/I-10 between N Mission Rd and US101
- San Francisco, Calif. I-80 between US 101 and Bay Bridge
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-10 between La Brea Ave and National Blvd
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-5 between S Eastern Ave and Euclid Ave
- Massachusetts Boston I-93 between I-90 and US 1
- Oakland, Calif. I80 between I580 and Ashby Ave
- Seattle, Wash. I-5 between Madison St. and Exit 168A
- New Jersey I-95 between SR4 and Palisades Interstate Pkwy in Fort Lee
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between I95 and Central Ave in Newark
- Miami, Fla. Palmetto Expy between 41st St. and Dolphin Expy
- New York I-678 between Queens Blvd and Liberty Ave
- Houston, Texas I-610 between Richmond Ave and Post Oak Blvd
- Chicago, Ill. I-90 Between I-55 and W Pershing Rd
- Atlanta, Ga. I-75/I-85 between Freedom Pkwy NE and North Ave NE
- Houston, Texas I-69/I-59 between Hazard St and Buffalo Speedway
- Washington, D.C. I-395 between Washington Blvd and George Washington Memorial Pkwy
- Dallas, Texas Woodall Rodgers Freeway
- Boston, Mass. I-93 between Edge Hill Rd and West St
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-405 between Burbank Blvd and Ventura Blvd
- Los Angeles, Calif. US 101 between SR 110 and Alameda St
- New Jersey US 1&9 between Wilson Ave and I-78
- Miami, Fla. Dolphin Expy between 72nd Ave and Palmetto Expy
- New York Brooklyn Bridge
- Houston, Texas US 290 between I-610 and Mangum Rd
- Denver, Colo. I-25 between Santa Fe Dr and S Logan St
- Philadelphia, Pa. I-76 at US 1 between City Ave and Roosevelt Blvd
- New Jersey Pulaski Skyway between Tonnelle Ave and Broadway
- Norfolk, Va. US 58 at Martin Luther King Fwy in Portsmouth
- Miami, Fla. Dolphin Expy between 17th Ave and 22nd Ave
- Los Angeles, Calif. I-10 between I-5 and US 101
- Washington, D.C. I-495 at the Dulles Toll Road
- New York Long Island Expressway I-495 near I-278 between 58th St and 48th St.
- Dallas, Texas I-30 between St. Paul St. and I-45
- Washington, D.C. I-395 from Duke St to halfway between Duke St and Edsall Rd
- Tampa, Fla. I-4 between N 22nd St and N Nebraska Ave
- Chicago, Ill. I-94 between I-90 interchange and N Elston Ave
- Philadelphia, Pa. I-676 between I-76 interchange and N 24th St
- Dallas, Texas US 75 between N Haskell Avenue and SR366
- Atlanta, Ga. T. Harvey Mathis Pkwy between Johnson Ferry Rd NE and I-285
- Boston, Mass. I-90 from Dorchester Ave to A St
