Hot off Montreal's ranking as one of the world’s 20 best cities for food in 2024, a new list has been published about the city's other claim to fame: traffic.
With orange cones, road closures, changes of traffic direction and construction a normal occurrence in Montreal, it should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the city was ranked one of the world’s most congested cities.
According to the Inrix 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard, three years of mobility data was gleaned to create a detailed and comprehensive analysis of traffic in the world's most congested areas.
Including comparisons of travel delays, the costs of congestion to drivers and regions, and commuting trends based on the distinctive travel patterns in each metropolitan area, the Scorecard used the latest post-COVID travel patterns to analyze and compare commuting differences in over 900 cities worldwide.
Montreal’s congestion rank was 30 worldwide, coming in at number two in Canada.
How congested is Montreal?
According to the rankings, Montreal ranked 30th in a list of over 900 cities, with 57 hours lost for commuters.
Why is there so much traffic in Montreal?
Montreal's roads are a significant concern for residents and commuters due to infrastructure, maintenance, and budget constraints. Drivers frequently encounter potholes and cracks, making travel challenging and hazardous.
Winter and extreme weather exacerbates these issues, as freezing rain and ice create dangerous conditions for drivers and pedestrians.
Additionally, urban planning decisions also contribute to the problem. Poorly planned construction projects and lack of coordination between departments often lead to road closures and detours, disrupting traffic and increasing driver frustration.
What other Canadian cities made the list?
Other Canadian cities include Toronto (17), Vancouver (56), Winnipeg (289), Calgary (328) and Edmonton (639).
What were the top 10 cities on the most congested list?
The top 10 most congested cities in the world are:
1. New York, USA
2. Mexico City, MEX
3. London, GB
4. Paris, FRA
5. Chicago, USA
6. Istanbul, TUR
7. Los Angeles, USA
8. Boston, USA
9. Cape Town, ZAF
10. Jakarta, IDN
For more information about the Inrix 2023 Global Traffic Scorecard, click here.
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