We’ve all been there. After a long and grueling day at work, we finally get in the car and breathe a sigh of relief. FINALLY. It’s time to go home for you…

And the rest of your City!

Phoenix is the fourth largest city in the nation and boy can we feel it when it’s time to go home and rush hour is in full force.

Uncertainty about traffic is a common driving woe, and for the first time, this time last year, researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute have quantified it in their annual national report on traffic congestion in U.S. cities.

Valley traffic is a lot better than many might think -The Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area is the 13th most populous, but ranks 40th among U.S. cities for the average amount of time motorists spend in traffic jams. So, while many people make a pastime of griping about weather and traffic, freeways move quite well here… err…relatively.

The Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco areas top the list of most congested cities. There, drivers sit in traffic more than 60 hours a year (Phoenix traffic doesn’t seem so bad after all, does it?!) In Phoenix and the valley in general, people spend an average of 35 hours in their cars costing commuters an average of $837 a year in lost time and fuel.

In Maricopa County, the average commute time is 26 minutes, according to U.S. census figures. In rush hour, it’s closer to 31 minutes.

So what’s traffic looking like on your block and how can you steer clear of bumper to bumper traffic?

Let’s take a look:

Commute Time From Phoenix or Cave Creek

between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

 

Submitted From / Commute Time To / Method
June 2013 Baseline & 75th Ave, Phoenix 7th St & Indian School, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Aug 2012 E.Thomas Rd & 20th St, Phoenix Glendale Ave & 27th Ave, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Apr 2012 Greenway & I-17, Phoenix Thunderbird & Loop 101, Peoria
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Apr 2012 7th St & Loop 101, Phoenix Peoria Rd. & I-17
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Mar 2012 E. Pecks Rd & 24th St, Phoenix 91st Ave & Van Buren, Avondale
31 – 45 minutes highways, uses HOV
Nov 2011 40th St & Pecos, Phoenix Union Hills & 40th St, Phoenix
46 – 60 minutes highways, no HOV
Jul 2011 44th St & Wsahington, Phoenix Sycamore & Main
31 – 45 minutes METRO Light Rail
Nov 2010 Camelback & I-17, Phoenix Elliot & I-10, Tempe
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Sep 2010 Daisy Mountain & I-17, Anthem 52nd St & McDowell, Phoenix
46 – 60 minutes highways, no HOV
Mar 2010 Cave Creek & Carefree Highway, Cave Creek 12th St & McDowell, Phoenix
46 – 60 minutes on city streets
Jul 2009 40th St & Greenway, Phoenix 75th Ave & Lower Buckeye, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jul 2009 40th St & Cactus, Phoenix 7th Ave & Osborn, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jul 2009 7th St & Peoria, Phoenix Central & Washington, Phoenix
31 – 45 minutes on city streets
Jul 2009 7th St & Peoria, Phoenix Central & McDowell, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jul 2009 12th St & Osborn, Phoenix 24th St. & Lincoln, Phoenix
less than 15 minutes on city streets
Jul 2009 15th St & Mountain View, Phoenix 48th St & Broadway, tempe
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jul 2009 I-17 & Jomax, Phoenix Priest & Washington, Tempe
31 – 45 minutes highways, no HOV
Jul 2009 7th St & Bethany Home Rd, Phoenix Price Rd & Queen Creek, Chandler
31 – 45 minutes highways, no HOV
Sep 2008 48th St & Thomas Rd, Phoenix Central & Washington, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jun 2008 28th Ave & Thunderbird, Phoenix 2nd Ave & Lincoln, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Feb 2008 49th St & Shea Blvd, Phoenix 7th St & Washington, Phoenix
31 – 45 minutes highways, no HOV
Nov 2007 Pinnacle Peak & Cave Creek, Phoenix East Hartford Drive & Loop101, Scottsdale
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Mar 2007 Central Ave & Thomas Rd, Phoenix 16th Street & Northern, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jul 2007 7th St & Missouri, Phoenix Camelback Rd & Goldwater Blvd, Scottsdale
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jun 2006 27th Ave & Glendale, Phoenix Granite Reef & Indian School, Scottsdale
15 – 30 minutes highways, yes HOV
Mar 2006 83rd Ave & Encanto, Phoenix 7th St & McDowell Rd, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jan 2005 27th Ave & Baseline Rd, Phoenix 3rd Ave & Central Ave, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 I-17 & Carefree Hwy, Phoenix I-17 & Dunlap, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jan 2005 43rd Avenue & Greenway Rd, Phoenix 7th St & Bell Rd, Phoenix
less than 15 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 79th Ave & Lower Buckeye Rd, Phoenix 2nd Ave & Jackson St, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 Carefree Hwy & 48th St, Cave Creek Greenway & Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale
31 – 45 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 Guadalupe Rd & I-10, Phoenix Central Ave & Thomas Rd, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jan 2005 38th St & Thomas Rd, Phoenix 43rd Ave and Olive, Glendale
31 – 45 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 Palisades & Saguaro Blvd, Fountain Hills Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix
15 – 30 minutes highways
Jan 2005 Cholla & 44th St, Phoenix Raintree Dr and Hayden Rd, Scottsdale
15 – 30 minutes on city streets
Jan 2005 16th St & McDowell Rd., Phoenix Stapley Rd and McKellips, Mesa
15 – 30 minutes highways, no HOV
Jan 2005 Shea Blvd & 32nd Street, Phoenix 16th St & Northern, Phoenix
Less than 15 minutes highways, no HOV
Jan 2005 7th St & Northern, Phoenix 16th St & Indian School, Phoenix
15-30 minutes on city streets

Remember that congested traffic may lead to car accidents and injuries. Therefore, we recommend keeping a safe distance between yourself and the car in front of you (about 1 car distance between) to avoid rear end accidents and/or 3-car pile up auto accidents.

References: About.Com Phoenix (2015, February 12) Re:Rush Hour Commute Times From Phoenix and Cave Creek [Web chart]. Retrieved from http://phoenix.about.com/library/blcommutephoenix.htm