Is traffic your worst nightmare? If that is the case, you might want to stay away from the following cities in the U.S. – unless you have alternate transportation.
Los Angeles
There is a price for making it big in Hollywood – and, from the look of the traffic situation in L.A., this may be it. The metropolitan area is widely considered the worst in the country. You’ll need to remember safe drivers have auto insurance discounts if you experience the stressors that such high volume of traffic brings here.
New York City
The City That Never Sleeps is quite appropriate for the second spot on the list. According to Forbes.com (2010 list), it has 94 weekly hours of congestion, which beats all others in this statistic. If you drive in New York City, you might want to make sure the iPod is loaded and ready; or, “Take the ‘A’ Train” instead.
Chicago
Aside from being a major city, Chicago is in the tri-state area (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin), which adds to travelers and commuters of all kinds. As with other major cities with a lot of traffic, there are plenty of alternatives to driving in Chicago. A wonderful city to explore on foot – but think twice about manning your own 4 wheels.
Washington D.C.
Yes, you can insert your joke relating lack of progress on the roads and in the Nation’s capital. As another major city with devastating traffic, planning is key. While most other cities are at their worst on Friday at 5 p.m., sporadic D.C. traffic requires you check traffic reports before leaving home.
Dallas-Fort Worth
Still offering many weekly hours of congestion (43 here), the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. From 2010 stats, it may seem like all 1.2 million are on the road if you need to get anywhere in this area. Don’t expect quick travel times during peak hours in this part of Texas.