How This Unsuspecting City Became North America's Most Congested

Toronto traffic

Toronto has emerged as the most congested city in North America, surpassing both New York and Mexico City in terms of traffic delays. This claim is backed by the latest data from TomTom’s annual traffic index. On a global scale, Toronto ranks third, only behind London and Dublin in terms of traffic congestion. The average journey time for a 10-kilometre trip in Toronto is approximately 29 minutes, a slight increase from the previous year. This duration is shorter than Dublin’s but exceeds that of London.

The Impact of Rush-Hour Traffic

In 2023, Toronto’s motorists faced an average of 98 hours of delay due to rush-hour traffic. This figure, while lower than that of cities like Dublin and London, still poses a considerable challenge for those commuting in the city. The data, derived from over 600 million navigation devices and smartphones, highlights November 30th as the most problematic day for Toronto’s drivers, with an average peak travel time of 33 minutes for a 10-kilometre distance. The most congested weekly commute times were noted on Wednesdays, particularly between 5 and 6 p.m.

North American Traffic Comparisons

Toronto’s traffic congestion is notably more severe than that of other North American cities. For instance, the average travel time in New York for the same distance is around 25 minutes. Additionally, Toronto’s congestion exceeds that of other major Canadian cities like Vancouver and Montreal, which have shorter average commute times.

Exploring the Reasons Behind the Congestion

Matti Siemiatycki, Director of the Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto, points to several factors contributing to the city’s traffic woes. Key among these is the ongoing construction across Toronto. The absence of road tolls also plays a part, leading to an increase in vehicle usage. Furthermore, the city’s infrastructure faces challenges, including inadequate public transit options, limited cycling lanes, and pedestrian accessibility issues. These problems extend beyond the downtown core, affecting the suburbs and highway interchanges.

Global Traffic Trends and the Slowest Cities

The TomTom Traffic Index also provides insights into global traffic patterns, identifying the slowest cities for a 6-mile drive. London tops this list, influenced by factors like the lack of fast roads and lower speed limits. Other cities such as Dublin, Milan, and Lima also feature, with their slow traffic attributed to various causes, including ongoing roadworks and weather conditions.

This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team