Honolulu Among the Nation’s Worst Cities for Traffic

The TomTom Traffic Index ranks Honolulu the third worst city in the United States, after Los Angeles and San Francisco, for most clogged roadways any time of the day. New York, Seattle, Houston, San Jose, Miami, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Portland filled out the top 10. The Hawaiian capital is also the fourth worst city for the evening commute after Los Angeles, San Jose and Seattle, with a congestion rate of 68 percent. But Honolulu tied with New York for the worst evening commute in the nation on a Friday.

According to TomTom, motorists with a 30-minute commute in and out of Honolulu can expect 23 minutes in delays on a daily basis, which translates to 88 hours a year wasted sitting in traffic.

Honolulu’s traffic nightmare is a result of physical conditions and personal choices. The topography of the island is not conducive to straight, flat roads, nor is the lava bedrock particularly amenable to construction. An economy centered in a single business district, helped by a booming tourist trade with great demands for convenience, led to a congested downtown. The result is few roads funneling overwhelming traffic into a cramped space with numerous bottlenecks.

The city council admits to a “sense of urgency” because island residents are “just furious” over conditions. They are pushing incentives for employers to offer flextime, carpooling, bus passes and more to alleviate the congestion. But, since Hawaii already leads the nation in carpools and bicycle commuting, these programs may not have the desired impact. Moreover, as rail construction gets closer to downtown, traffic is bound to get worse before it gets better.

Unfortunately, these conditions can’t help but lead to an increase in accidents. Frustrated drivers often become aggressive. In tight traffic, this may only result in more fender benders. But at intersections, aggressive driving can lead to a higher rate of pedestrian accidents and fatalities. In fact, Honolulu has seen a steady climb in pedestrian fatalities over the last few years to 25 persons killed in 2014.

If you or a loved one suffers a serious injury in tight Honolulu traffic, consult a knowledgeable Honolulu attorney. Call Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, Attorneys At Law at 808.524.1433 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.