An upside of a stagnant economy
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- October
- 8
| So downstate has the jobs and the wealth. They pay a price for that, according to a new survey of traffic congestion.
 Congestion in the New York City metropolitan area costs commuters $893 per person per year in excess fuel and lost time, according to a recent report from the American Association of Civil Engineers.   That compared to a paltry $103 per year for drivers in the Rochester area, $182 in the Buffalo area and $208 in the Capital District.   The survey showed that, while the growth in population in the state has been slower than most of the rest of the country, miles driven continues to rise much faster – 26 percent from 1990 to 2003, according to the survey.  From the enginheers’ perspective, part of the answer is build more roads. Driving on roads in need of repair costs New Yorkers $3.2 billion a year, according to the study.   |
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34% of New York’s major urban roads are congested.
35% of New York’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition.
Vehicle travel on New York’s highways increased 26% from 1990 to 2003. New York’s population grew 7% between 1990 and 2003.
Driving on roads in need of repair costs New York motorists $3.2 billion a year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs—- $285 per motorist.
Congestion in the Albany area costs commuters $208 per person per year in excess fuel and lost time.
Congestion in the Buffalo area costs commuters $182 per person per year in excess fuel and lost time.
Congestion in the New York City metropolitan area costs commuters $893 per person per year in excess fuel and lost time.
Congestion in the Rochester area costs commuters $103 person per year in excess fuel and lost time.
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on Monday, October 8th, 2007 at 2:15 pm by Jay Gallagher.
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Jay Gallagher has covered Albany for Gannett News Service since 1984 and has been Albany Bureau chief since 1989. He`s a native of the Boston area and likes to point out that in this millennium, the score is Red Sox 1 championship, the Yankees 0. 
Cara Matthews has been a statehouse correspondent in the Albany Bureau since August 2005. Prior to that, she covered Putnam County government and politics at The Journal News for nearly five years. Before that, she worked at newspapers in Connecticut and covered the state Legislature for one of them. 
