New York, U.S.A. — Every Labor Day, millions of Americans hit the road for one “last” summer weekend, and 2012 will be no different according to INRIX, the leading provider of traffic information. Through in-depth analysis of recent traffic patterns in New York City, INRIX predicts that New York, the fourth-most congested city in the U.S. and Bridgeport, CT, the fifth-most congested city, will take the first and third spots, respectively, for the worst cities for weekend road-trippers.

“Between Bridgeport being a ‘gateway’ between New England and the Mid-Atlantic, and recent trends and increases in consumer spending indicating that travelers will not fear gas prices, we’re predicting major delays as travelers leave town for Labor Day,” said Jim Bak, INRIX Director of Community Relations. “Best bet is to leave before lunchtime or wait for the evening, if you’re planning to get out on Friday. Travelers thinking they’ll avoid traffic by waiting for Saturday to depart will have better luck if they get on the road right after breakfast.”

Key insights from INRIX’s New York metro area research include:

• Traffic will start to build in New York City at lunchtime on Friday, August 31, and will continue to get worse into the evening, peaking between 4 and 5 p.m., with traffic in Bridgeport getting heavy thereafter and congestion remaining until at least 7 p.m.
• Travelers moving between New York and Bridgeport or beyond should plan to depart after 8 p.m. on Friday 31, or wait until Saturday 1 morning and hit the road before lunchtime.
• New Yorkers in search of a beach will be better heading south to the Jersey Shore than north toward The Hamptons: despite the closer proximity of northern beaches, the trip to Atlantic Citycan be up to two hours shorter.
• Gamblers beware!  Travel between Bridgeport and Mashantucket, home of the Foxwoods Casino, will move at 41mph or slower during peak holiday weekend travel times.

New York City’s unique geography will ensure that all travelers trying to get to or from the City can expect additional delays at bridge and tunnel crossings: the Throgs Neck Bridge and the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, which connect the Bronx to Queens, will see delays of at least 30 minutes, and the George Washington Bridge and Cross Bronx Expressway, already strained by slow-downs caused by construction on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, will be under additional stress—as will the alternative routes nearby.

Given the expected increase in the number of holiday travelers, combined with ongoing road construction and unexpected delays due to accidents and other incidents, Bak advises travelers to use free tools like the INRIX Traffic app, to help ease drivers’ getaway trips with up-to-the-minute information about traffic conditions and travel times.

Image Courtesy of  Kobby Dagan / Shutterstock.com

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