CAA Traffic Congestion Study confirms Niagara Rush Hour is Rush Minutes

THOROLD, ON (Jan. 11, 2017) Unlike other parts of Canada, Niagara Region is virtually free of traffic congestion, according to a recent study released by CAA.

The study, which focuses on highway traffic, is the first of its kind undertaken nationally by CAA, shows that time-of-day traffic congestion adds only five to six minutes to daily drive times and focuses only on Niagara's international bridges and a short stretch of the Queen Elizabeth Way.

"As you might suspect, the study confirms Niagara enjoys substantially fewer traffic snarls than other municipalities. It's fair to say that Niagara's rush hour is really just rush minutes," says Rick Mauro, CAA Niagara's Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. "In Toronto, traffic congestion adds 36 minutes to the daily commute," Mauro noted from the study, "so, we're lucky we don't have to battle heavy highway congestion every day." The CAA study, Grinding to a Halt, Evaluating Canada's Worst Bottlenecks, confirmed these congestion statistics for Niagara:

Highway congestion between 7 a.m and 9 a.m. adding 6 minutes to commute:

• Highway 405, Stanley Avenue to Queenston-Lewiston Bridge
• Queen Elizabeth Way, Gilmore Road to Peace Bridge
• Queen Elizabeth Way, between Lake Street and Niagara Street

Highway congestion between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. adding 5 minutes to commute:

• Highway 405, Stanley Avenue to Queenston-Lewiston Bridge
• Queen Elizabeth Way, Gilmore Road to Peace Bridge

According to the CAA study, congestion and traffic bottlenecks are the single biggest contributor to road delay, far outpacing traffic accidents, bad weather and construction. Traffic is a major source of stress for Canadians. Canada's top 20 traffic bottlenecks are in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Quebec City and collectively cost drivers more than 11.5 million hours of their time every year and burn an extra 287 million litres of fuel per year.

Contact: media@caaniagara.ca