Is Southern California traffic worse than ever?

Southern California traffic can be a nightmare, and in some areas it seems worse than ever. Kalyna Astrinos examines the data and finds a new trend in congestion, driving habits and new time frames for rush hour. And we're not even back to pre-pandemic traffic levels.

[@wturner777]

The key to alleviate traffic is not widening roads. It is high-density, transit-oriented development.

[@badactor3440]

She's right, you simply can't beat living here. It truly is one of the best places to live. The economic opportunities alone make it worthwhile, not to mention the fantastic weather.

[@prettypenny8563]

The economic opportunities is quality. Weather is the best truly. However homelessness, unfriendly/scamming people, overpopulation, rent prices, and failed politics suck. Shame how people can ruin such a beautiful state.

[@rollinia7770]

Climate Change will change all that not to mentioned the Big Earthquake. People got so sick of homeless and transient migrants that they harvesting and breeding mosquitoes 🦟.

[@badactor3440]

@Lunchnow true, there's alot of crime against the homeless

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

Fantastic weather? Only if you are 10 miles of range near the beach the farther you go the worse it gets

[@rollinia7770]

@@youonlyliveonce2556 Don't forget the mosquitoes 🦟 🦟 🦟 🦟 🦟 🦟 smog and morning fog along with infested rodents, bedbugs and stinky weeds smell especially traveling by the freeway around Boyle Heights.

[@mattmaxon7783]

"Who the hell are all these people?" is what i say

[@YabniSharmota]

Yes, and reasons why Gas is Expensive. 😡🤬

[@eddieg6436]

…..EVERYONE I know drives an electric car!! 😎🤷🏼‍♂️😎🤷🏼‍♂️

[@YabniSharmota]

@@eddieg6436 good for y’all Vicente.

[@eddieg6436]

@@omi_god ….I live in L.A. (Calabasas-Kardashian Land). Yes, pretty much everyone is rich, but me and my neighbors own gas AND electric. I know neighbors with Cybertrucks or Mercedes EQS electric or BMW i5s, who ALSO own Ferrari 458 Italians, Porsche 911 GT3 s, and new Corvette C8 ZO6s. 🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

[@Not-Ap]

​@@eddieg6436Ok that's nice. Good for you but Hollywood is not the whole of Southern California. Poor people exist as well even if you can't or choose not to see them.

[@wturner777]

Because everyone in LA drives. And when everyone drives, the demand for gas increases. And when demand for gas increases, it’s expensive af! Meanwhile, public transit in LA is mediocre at best. Not to mention walking and cycling is still dangerous.

[@tobymofield6597]

Now i see why more and more and more folks are leaving California...

[@eddiebmx]

How about crime is worst than ever?

[@karinaquiroz2821]

Yes!!!

[@scottp29]

On you on crack?? It's 80 times worse now wtf wake up

[@jfs1988]

Metrolink should of been extended to Temecula years ago.

[@badactor3440]

That'll never happen

[@rollinia7770]

There are people not willing to pay high price for commute even for metrolink.

[@randymac5046]

Poor doordashers in LA gotta deal with massive traffic I bet

[@AJBlueJay]

I'm a SoCal native. Traffic here is just normal everyday life to me.

[@scottp29]

No it's not its 50 times worse since they opened the boarder duhhhhhhh

[@rollinia7770]

You must forgot about those mental charged protesters blocking the freeway crying like a baby unable to crawl themselves out the freeway till it bedtime 🌙.

[@randymac5046]

LA vibes 10 Years ago was lit 🔥 Now it’s just homeless bums smoked out on crystal trying to rob you for another bag 💼 🧊

[@badactor3440]

Native here also. Never encountered a "smoked out homeless bum" Sorry you're stuck in a bad area.

[@scottp29]

It will get you soon hahahahaha

[@AngelAngela]

@@badactor3440they’re literally everywhere. U must b living in a fairytale world.

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

@@AngelAngela where is everywhere , I've been in Manhattan , el segundo, hermosa beach, redondo beach , Malibu , San Fernando valley, Venice Beach , Culver City, orange county , Bakersfield, Fresno , Marina del Rey , and I think they have done a great job getting them homeless people out of the streets, streets look a lot more better than a few years ago

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

@@StuartBailey-re4mh if that's the only thing that happened to you ,that means the area is safe 😂

[@leechjim8023]

Phoenix, AZ is the same way now! Inexplicable traffic jams midday!☹️

[@wturner777]

That’s bound to happen when there are little or no alternatives to driving. Traffic becomes so bad, rush “hour” becomes an all-day marathon.

[@MrBobochow]

We should have the migrants directing traffic.

[@MangooPangoo]

Americans need better public transport (busses, trams, metro, rail, …) and better and safe biking infrastructure.. this gives people more options to consider than using the car, and to incentivize people for using public transport, companies could offer free public transport tickets or give workers extra compensation (mileage based from home to work - fastest route) for using alternative transportation options, they do this where I live (Belgium). And people that work corporate and office jobs surely could start working from home more, this could alleviate some traffic as well. Not saying this is gonna solve traffic, but could alleviate some of it.

[@stickynorth]

So Cal needs a better mix of transit and roadways with an upgraded electrified Metrolink network running fast and frequent trains like you see in other major cities in North America and across the world... Toronto, New York, London... And yes CONGESTION TOLLS!

[@5150Rockstar]

Wait till self driving cars are stalling all over the place😊

[@badactor3440]

redundancy

[@rollinia7770]

Yeah, they amused to look at I have been staring at it for month when they have been testing it. I thought it one of those Google Map car.

[@bradfordjhart]

I live in Boston, every time I visit LA I'm just laughing because your traffic actually moves. And you can just get off the highway and there are other north south/East West roads right there. I wish they would have mentioned what will get rid of traffic which is adaptive cruise control and recommending everybody use that.

[@badactor3440]

ACC is great, but what is really needed is fully autonomous vehicles. The sad part is the technology has already been perfected, but the fear factor is delaying its implementation

[@andrewdinns1746]

No. Unrestricted speed limits with heavy enforcement of keep right except to pass is what will get rid of traffic. I sincerely urge you to go moved to Germany and spent some time driving on the autobahn. Please keep right except to pass. It's not just camping the left lane every lane except the right lane are passing lanes. No doubt with a comment like yours, you are a masshole camping out in passing lanes. Drive better.

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

@@andrewdinns1746 not true , the problem is LA is overpopulated and the public transportation is hot garbage , NYC has better public transportation than LA

[@joevalencia8588]

Just add all the delivery apps too your equation

[@bradfordjhart]

Actually the delivery apps and Uber and Lyft are far more efficient than the previous one delivery per driver and one trip per taxi situation we had before

[@badactor3440]

Each delivery prevents another vehicle on the road to pick up an order. One delivery vehicle makes multiple deliveries so your comment falls flat on its face

[@MangooPangoo]

Like others said the delivery apps make it so a job that used to be performed by multiple people (every restaurant having their own driver), can now be done by a handful of people doing multiple restaurants and even supermarkets.. plus the ridesharing apps makes it easier for people to go from A to B without using their own car. What American needs is more alternative transportation options: better and efficient public transport, safer bike infrastructure, companies incentivizing their workers to use different methods of transport, more work from home options etc. In general there needs to be more and affordable alternatives to driving.

[@brittanysbets2626]

Unfortunately a LOT of people want to live here. Thus, traffic!

[@MangooPangoo]

Well yeah, but also are there any viable alternatives to driving in LA? You guys need better public transport that’s affordable, better biking infrastructure, company incentives for alternatives to driving like work-from-home. All of this is gonna cost a lot of money though, and I don’t think it’ll be feasible on a short term, thus unfortunately traffic will get worse…

[@wturner777]

@@MangooPangooBut that’s not as expensive as road infrastructure. LA has spent over $1 billion widening a 10-mile strip. WTF!? That money could’ve been used to invest in transit-oriented development. Better walkability, safer cycling infrastructure, and a robust public transit network that will all benefit everyone.

[@xq39]

i imagine half the pop wasn't even born in the country

[@htvlogs80]

Heck ya it's worst! I thought that stupid gas tax is suppose to improve our roads, all I see is non stop never ending construction that takes all our lanes away. Why build something & in 2-months, shut the lanes down again & do a new project again? What kind of engineers did we hire?

[@thesearentthedroidsyourloo1880]

Communists and thieves

[@rollinia7770]

😂 Last two days they closed all 4 lanes for 2 days making everyone to use the fast lane. Yet, the traffic still bad and heavy commute bumper to bumper and the high taxes for gas pay to make the freeway so unsafe with the uneven surfaces and slit narrow black patch slippery slide felt like tilting over to both lanes and what with the square holes and speed bumps too on the freeway lanes.

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

Hey you Americans can't complain, you guys have the biggest military industrial complex in the world 😂 if you don't get it , it means all your tax money is used for it 😆

[@Not-Ap]

​@@youonlyliveonce2556What makes you think the vast majority of people support that? Don't let the political propaganda blind you. Were about as much a democracy as the EU or Russia. The military industrial complex is just par for the course if you live here like it or not.

[@camd6102]

It's called induced and latent demand. .

[@RideRedRacer]

im lucky i commute to work at 4am...very minimal traffic

[@tynao2029]

Open borders. You voted for it

[@SeethingSimp]

The people who want to ruin the country graciously wait to see if the public agrees before doing what they want 🤪

[@Teskatlipoca]

...this lady makes traffic worst

[@flexor212000]

Why? Because she drives to a job where she has to be?

[@rollinia7770]

Lot of people have to drive just to go to work not just her and there no commute easy to get there.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

This is why public transportation should have much more government investment than it does.

[@ju4121]

Lol so homeless people can ride and harass people

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@ju4121 When you become homeless, hopefully you won't be as judgmental as you are now.

[@philwalters3579]

Government = treason sorry

[@user-zt6bt8dp2c]

⁠@@TheRailwayDroneit’s not judgmental it’s facts.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@user-zt6bt8dp2c say that when you become homeless.

[@rougecampos317]

Yes yes it is

[@R0M8N]

We need $10 per gallon gas

[@badactor3440]

I see you don't get out much.

[@rollinia7770]

$23 not even 4 gallons of gas and 4 gallons of gas probably just last a day.

[@Not-Ap]

Why stop at 10? Make it $20 just like minimum wage.😂

[@magallon643]

Traffic means the city has good economy

[@DCmite1]

will ruin the city of Temecula just like the orange line destroyed the sfv

[@rollinia7770]

No, traffic mean there more commuters that live far away from works because rent is too high to reside nearby work.

[@youonlyliveonce2556]

Boston doesn't have a great economy like LA and the traffic is worse , traffic means public transportation is garbage in your area , MTA is hot trash

[@wturner777]

On paper. But in reality, too much traffic means there are little to no alternatives to driving, such as walking, cycling and public transit. People often live too far away from work, cycling is obviously too far and public transit may be inaccessible, they often have to drive. And when everyone drives, there’s going to be traffic congestion, and that’s not a good thing.