The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) uses GPS data to rank metro areas’ traffic congestion based on how quickly trucks can pass through them.  Providence, Rhode Island’s, peak average speed slowed by 18%, and our ranking jumped 15 slots to 25th worst in the country.  To be sure, much of the problem was the Washington Bridge, but (1) that should have been a preventable problem, and (2) the state was still in the top 50 for congestion before then.

Reviewing the list of other metro areas, it occurs to me congestion only tells part of the story.  I grew up near #1 Fort Lee, NJ, and I can attest that the problem is not so much the infrastructure, but the sheer number of people moving around.  The NY Tri-State Area is one of the world’s leading hotspots of economic activity.  It would be interesting to see this ranking adjusted for the amount of economic activity.  That would really get at the problem.