A study by the GPS maker TomTom confirms what many bay-area drivers already know: that getting around Tampa is no picnic. According to the 2012 TomTom Congestion Index, Tampa has the fifth-worst traffic in North America.
With the help of millions of GPS users, the study compared estimated travel times with how long it actually took folks to get from Point A to Point B during rush hour. The most congested cities were:
- Los Angeles
- Vancouver
- Miami
- Seattle
- Tampa
During rush hour, congestion increases Tampa motorists' drive time by an average of 25 percent, the study found.
Ready for more bad news? It appears Tampa's traffic is getting worse, not better. Last year, the Congestion Index ranked our city No. 6.
And if you're thinking of taking the bus, you may face an even bigger headache. According to a recent report by the Brookings Institution, Tampa Bay's public transportation riders have some of the longest commutes in the country.
