Moscow has the second worst traffic jams in the world, according to a study by the INRIX analytics company published Tuesday.
According to the report, a driver in Moscow spent 91 hours in traffic last year, or about 26% of total driving time, the RBC business daily cited the report as saying. At rush hour, Muscovites spent 34% of their time stuck in traffic.
Only Los Angeles, where drivers spent 102 hours a year or 12% of their driving time in traffic, was worse than Moscow, according to the report.
In New York, drivers also spent 91 hours in traffic, but traveled freely more often, with only 13% of their time stalled.
Russia’s other large cities did not rank significantly better than the capital. Drivers in Krasnodar, which was ranked 24th in the list, spent 57 hours in traffic last year, while drivers St. Petersburg, ranked 27th, spent 54 hours.
The U.S. and Russia shared fifth place in the study for the average amount of time spent in traffic (41 hours), after Thailand, Indonesia, Columbia and Venezuela.
Igor Morzharetto, the deputy editor of the Za Rulyom driver’s magazine, told RBC that the mayor’s efforts to improve traffic flow were insufficient.
“The Mayor’s Office is putting all its weight behind solving this problem, suggesting [for drivers] to switch to public transportation while limiting the number of parking places and raising their cost,” RBC cited Morzharetto as saying.
But while these were all correct policies, “what is desperately missing is the construction of park and ride facilities,” he added.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
