Transportation
Is Rush Hour Expanding?
More than 40 percent of congestion delays occur during off-peak hours
The 2011 Urban Mobility Report [PDF] came out yesterday, and one of its clearest conclusions is that "rush hour" is a terrible misnomer. The hour of congestion at the start and close of the average workday can expand to about six hours in some large metro areas. The worst time to be on the road is in the evening — 14 percent of daily delays occur from 5 to 6 p.m., with about 12 percent taking place from 4 to 5 p.m. — but traditional off-peak hours aren't much better. About 30 percent of a day's delays occurs during the midday hours, roughly 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and two-fifths of all daily delays occur outside traditional rush-hour periods.