Metro Networks, the largest organization of traffic gathering and reporting in the United States, recently revealed The Top Ten Worst Traffic Incidents of 2005. The list was compiled by Metro Networks experts all over the country. Here is a summary of the first 5 incidents in the list.
New York City: Just ended and it was already considered the worst incident of the year. The representatives of the employees of the public transit system, the Transit Workers Union went on strike. Many citizens in Manhattan had to walk to their jobs over different East River bridges, and those who were able to drive encountered huge delays extended over the entire area.
Los Angeles: The January mudslide of La Conchita in Ventura County dumped over four hundred thousand tons of mud, causing flattened cars, roadway backups, and big devastation. Moreover, the accident attracted many motorists to the roadway, producing the shut down of a stretch of US 101 for two days.
Chicago: A traffic accident that involved a semi trailer that split open and burst into flames caused the Southbound Tri-State Tollway (Interstate-294) to be shut down at Lincoln Oasis in the early spring. This Tollway is the most traveled interstate highway that links Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. It created one of the most extensive delays seen in this area in years.
Philadelphia: Last summer, a mudslide and big floods were caused by intense rains in the Schuykill Expressway (Interstate-76), an important two-lane highway that connects the western suburbs to Center City Philadelphia. I took one complete week to entirely clear the area from the mud.
Boston: The project of roadway construction known as "The Big Dig" is currently in its 19th year. It caused major delays in the Boston area, frequent closures of routes in the heart of the city, and ramps that go from and to Interstate-93.