The longest traffic jams in the world 2019: ranking of countries, records

Some things in life are unavoidable. For example, if you want to get a car, get ready to get stuck in traffic jams.

Analytical agency INRIX, having analyzed more than 200 cities in 38 countries, compiled a list cities in the world with the longest traffic jams in 2019... They are real time killers - in them you will lose more hours than you save.

10 cities with the longest traffic jams

10.Moscow, Russia

Hours lost: 210

The First Throne is not a leader among the cities with the longest traffic jams in Russia, but in every possible way seeks to become one. Moscow was founded in the 12th century, when no one had heard of cars, and developed along the traditional path for ancient cities - with a radial layout, narrow streets and confusing traffic.

The length of traffic jams is also influenced by weather conditions. The longest Moscow traffic jam was recorded in 2012. Winter, as usual, came completely unexpectedly both for housing and communal services and for road services. A long winter snowfall began, as a result of which the highway connecting the capital of Russia with St. Petersburg stopped completely. And stood for three days in a row.

The situation was so difficult that the Moscow administration set up tents on the side of the road, where they provided the drivers with food, drink and psychological assistance.

9. Mexico City, Mexico

Hours lost: 218

Mexico City is the largest city in North America; its population exceeds 21 million. As a result, only the most patient person can get around the city by car during rush hours. So, if you suddenly find yourself in Mexico City, we recommend avoiding the historic city center and the Santa Fe business district at the beginning and end of the working day.

Most of the streets in the historic center of Mexico City are narrow and not designed for traffic, as their width has remained unchanged since the 16th century. The city administration hopes to reduce the number of cars in the city center by reducing the number of parking lots.

8. Bordeaux, France

Hours lost: 223

The busiest motorway in the small town of Bordeaux is the A10 motorway, which connects the city with Paris. Regularly on weekends, Parisians fill it, dreaming of breaking out to the coast. And if an accident occurs or fog descends on the track, one of the largest traffic jams in the world is "born". On the worst days, drivers can spend more than five hours in it.

The city government is trying to optimize traffic and is doing very well. After the introduction of the traffic restriction, the number of road accidents decreased by 80%.

7. Milan, Italy

Hours lost: 226

Traveling around Milan is not a pleasant experience for a motorist. There are very few traffic jams on the streets, so they also require an additional payment for environmental pollution from cars entering the city. In 2008, Milan earned the title of the "dirtiest" city in Europe, and although since then the laurels have already passed to the Macedonian Tetovo, the ecological state of Milan is still disastrous.

The layout of Milan is confusing, with narrow streets and often one-way traffic. As a result, cars move at a snail's speed, and the local population is mastering motorcycles and scooters. In addition, Italian employees like to go on strike, which is also reflected in the frequency of traffic jams.

6. London, UK

Hours lost: 227

Even the famous double-decker buses do not save Londoners from getting stuck in traffic jams. The blame for this is the growth of construction activity, as well as the increase in sales on the Internet. Because of them, the roads of London are filled with vans and delivery vehicles.

Despite government initiatives (such as the construction of cycle paths and footpaths) and a number of measures to improve public transport, congestion was reduced by only 7.7%. The thrifty Englishmen even calculated how much the road slippage cost the country. It turned out that the UK loses £ 1,650 per driver each year. And if you count on a national scale, then the losses can exceed millions of pounds.

5. Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Hours lost: 237

Russia was twice in the top 10 cities with the longest traffic jams. In addition to the capital, Rostov-on-Don also distinguished himself.

This city is a major transport hub in the south of Russia; several key highways pass through it. Most of Rostov's streets are narrow, and new cars appear much more often than new streets are designed or old ones are re-asphalted.

In addition to narrow streets, the reason for the huge number of traffic jams in Rostov is also the small number of specially organized parking spaces. Cars parked at the side of the road further reduce the "working" part of the road.

4. Paris, France

Hours lost: 237

The reason for the huge traffic jams is often the archaic city layout. And Paris is no exception, this ancient city is not designed for the flows of automobile and freight transport.

Adding length to traffic jams are the millions of tourists that fill the French capital every year, as well as climatic conditions. The weather in France is often unpredictable. Old-timers of the city of love still remember the giant traffic jam of 1980, when many people returned to the city after a Christmas weekend and got into a dense fog. As a result, a traffic jam was formed on the Lyon-Paris highway, stretching for 175.4 kilometers.

3. Dublin, Ireland

Hours lost: 246

The third place in the list of places with the largest traffic jams is occupied by the capital of Ireland. This city has even been awarded the offensive title of the slowest in Europe. At peak times of the day, cars move around the city at a speed of 9.6 km / h, which is approximately equal to the speed of a light jogger.

Dublin's administration is trying to somehow ease traffic, and added a third line in both directions to the city's busiest street (Dougherty Road) last summer. Every day 32 thousand cars rush along this road.

2. Rome

Hours lost: 254

It is believed that the age of cities (and accordingly its layout) is one of the main reasons for traffic jams. Most of the cities with the longest traffic jams in the world have a rich history dating back centuries and a radial layout - Moscow, Mexico City, Milan, London, Paris.

But the champion here is Rome, because most of its roads were laid by the ancient Romans.They began at Capitol Hill and fanned out like the spokes of a wheel. Perhaps in the era of horses and carriages, this was the best solution, but now other times have come. The width of the streets, the rules of movement along them, as well as the millions of tourists arriving in the Eternal City every day, complicates the position of motorists.

1. Bogota, Colombia

Hours lost: 272

The title of "city of wasted time" in 2019 is awarded to the capital of Colombia. According to INRIX experts, drivers in Bogota spend about 272 hours in traffic every year.

There are many reasons for this, and we will list the main ones:

1. Urbanization in Latin America has been fast and chaotic, so urban planning is chaotic at best and a cartographer's nightmare at worst.

2. Because of the low economic level in Colombia, many people live below the poverty line; they flock to the cities, where they settle in the slums. Most of the buildings in these areas are illegal and stand where the owner wishes. Even if it interferes with the passage of transport.

3. The peculiar relief of the area where Bogota is located, as well as the unstable economic situation of the city and the country as a whole, make their contribution. The authorities have no money either to optimize traffic or to create a public transport network.

4. Power outages are frequent in the city, traffic lights stop working, which, together with an extremely careless approach to traffic rules, creates chaos on the roads.

The longest recorded traffic jams in the world

5. New York, USA

One of the largest officially recorded traffic jams in the world occurred in 1969 in America. About 500 thousand people (instead of the expected 50 thousand) hurried to the Woodstock rock festival and lined up in a 32-kilometer traffic jam. The performers had to be transported to the festival and back by helicopter.

4. Texas, USA

Another of the longest traffic jams in history occurred in the state of Texas in 2005. It was announced that the strongest hurricane Rita was approaching, and residents were in a hurry to leave their homes. Most Texans took highway 45, creating a 160-kilometer traffic jam on it. It lasted almost 48 hours.

3. Paris, France

The traffic jam, which stretched 175 kilometers in February 1980 on the Lyon-Paris highway, was caused by bad weather conditions. Parisians returning home from the winter holidays were trapped in a dense fog. It is unlikely that they were comforted by the fact that this cork got into the Guinness Book of Records as the longest in the XX century.

2. Sao Paulo, Brazil

The world record for "Longest traffic jam in the world" so far belongs to the Brazilian metropolis. It is known for its mega-traffic jams, but the largest of them emerged in November 2013, before the Republic Day holiday weekend. It stretches for 309 kilometers.

1. Beijing, China

The longest traffic jam in terms of man-hours occurred on the Beijing-Tibet highway in August 2010. Imagine that you are trapped in a 260-kilometer-long traffic jam that has not been "absorbed" for 12 days.

This monstrous traffic jam was not caused by an accident or natural disaster; it was caused by too many vehicles clogging all lanes. Heavy trucks transporting construction materials to Beijing have been particularly successful in this. Ironically, these materials were intended for road works to help ease traffic congestion.

Why are traffic jams dangerous?

Drivers stuck in a continuous stream among the same unfortunate experience not the most pleasant emotions. Some studies have shown that continuous traffic jams can cause stress disorders in a person.

In addition, many drivers, having finally escaped to freedom, begin to rush, tend to underestimate the danger and drive more risky than usual. And this is fraught with accidents.Therefore, the next time you get stuck in traffic, we recommend that you turn on pleasant soothing music, drink some water and, just in case, assign an ambulance phone to the quick call button.