A 2014 study by TomTom, a global company involved with mapping and navigation (the people that make the GPS devices that help you get where you’re going without getting lost), analyzed the increased traffic patterns during rush hour traffic. The result? Louisville is the 36th worst city in the United States for traffic-congestion. Oh yeah, and the 128th worst on the international list. Surprised? I didn't think so.
If you’re like me you probably sit in traffic thinking, "Who are the people that decide when and how to organize construction and why must they fill that pothole or pave that road on a Tuesday at 4 p.m.?” This is what Louisville public works spokesman Harold Adams said regarding a large cause of the congestion, The Ohio River Bridges project. "The Ohio River Bridges project will ultimately improve traffic flow in our community. We expect congestion to fall below pre-construction levels once the bridges project is complete. We are also in a very active period of construction for utility upgrades and repairs that have coincided with the bridges project and (also) contributed to traffic congestion. Completion of the utility upgrades will also relieve traffic congestion."
Louisville ranked just above Minneapolis and Memphis and ranked higher in traffic than Cincinnati and Indianapolis. You can find the full ranking list of cities here.
"A closer inspection of the rankings reveals that traffic congestion in Louisville is not much different than that in comparable cities, and construction of one of the largest highway construction projects in the United States (the Ohio River Bridges Project) is likely to have been a factor in the increase in delay over that of 2013," he said. The project will ultimately increase cross-river mobility by improving safety, alleviating traffic congestion and connecting highways. There will be two crossings on the bridges - one in the downtown area and one eight miles upstream in the metro area's East End. The completion of the project will be in December 2016. For more information on the project overview, visit KyInBridges.Com.
So what does that mean for the residents and commuters of Louisville and Southern Indiana? Traffic, traffic, and more traffic, for another 20 months. So bring snacks, pack an overnight bag and a few board games because you'll be in traffic for a while, Louisville.
Additional Louisville highlights from the 2014 TomTom Traffic Index include:
- Louisville traffic congestion increased 4% .
- Delay per 30-minute driven in peak period: 16 minutes.
- Most congested day in 2014: December 4th .
- Best weekly commute during peak period: Friday morning; Monday evening.
- Worst weekly commute during peak period: Tuesday & Wednesday mornings and Thursday evening.
Information found on CourierJournal.Com and TomTom.Com
Photo courtesy of TomTom.Com
