Stuck in Boston traffic? Blame the cows, partially

17^th century Boston most likely never imagined it would grow into the major urban center it has become 300 years after its founding. The cluster of neighborhoods that make up its landscape developed at their own paces and paved their roads in a manner that suited them. These roads are known historically to have catered to domesticated cows and their farmers, resulting in the winding paths seen in maps of the city — yes, urban developers used the same routes created by ancestral livestock. Of course, commuting cows from three centuries ago cannot take all the blame.

Anything and everything from the time of day to whether the Patriots are playing can affect daily traffic patterns in the city. A study published by the Central Transportation Planning Staff found that highway congestion significantly worsens on Fridays. While the severity differs for each highway, drivers also may find their speed reduced by over 30 mph during the most congested time of the day­ (compared to approximately 20 mph during a typical weekday). Other factors found to increase congestion were holiday weekends, such as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and sports events like Patriots and Red Sox game days. These factors, along with Boston’s large car population and population density in general, create the perfect environment for traffic to propagate. The number of commuters coming in and out of the city means that rush hours fill the streets with many people desperate to get to work on time or go home as fast as possible. This is especially true when a large number of these commuters live further out of the city where there is more affordable housing available, causing major highways to quickly clog with an influx of cars at nearly the same time. These conditions not only create unhappy and impatient commuters but also compromise road safety. Central Transportation Planning Staff’s study found that these factors and events can increase the rate of crashes compared to typical days.

“Other factors found to increase congestion were holiday weekends, such as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and sports events like Patriots and Red Sox game days. “

The New England weather plays a role in commuting conditions, as well. As the temperature cools enough to cause snow and ice, roads are one of the first things affected. Boston receives an average of 23 days of snowfall per year, creating nearly a month of dangerous road conditions. The Department of Transportation claims that driving speeds on the freeways diminish as much as 40% in the presence of heavy snow due to the limited maneuverability and visibility of the roads. Not only that, the use of road salts over time deteriorates the streets through concrete corrosion. Consequently, the risk of vehicle damage and accidents increases, requiring undesirable costly maintenance for the city. Forced road closures, especially for busy roads, may create or worsen traffic jams on other routes by concentrating vehicles into denser areas of the city.

The global recognition of Boston’s traffic performance also serves as proof of its problem. The 2022 Global Traffic Scorecard published by traffic analytics company INRIX found that Boston ranked fourth for worst traffic congestion globally and second nationally. On average, drivers lose over five and half days per year to their commutes. These motorway conditions are not only inconvenient to drivers but are also dangerous. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation documented 132,559 total crashes in 2022, 23% of which resulted in non-fatal injuries. Hearing these statistics may steer you towards walking, but that does not eliminate the danger. Parties involved in these crashes can include pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, with nearly 83% of pedestrian-involved accidents resulting in either fatal or non-fatal injuries in 2022.

The factors that create the messiness of Boston traffic itself cannot easily be controlled. One cannot yell at the sky to stop snowing, nor would the city’s economy survive without the numerous workers traveling in to maintain its commerce. That said, the best way to avoid the traffic may simply to avoid the times that it exasperates. Urban planning in Boston may have been unconventional to say the least, but it created a unique cityscape with an even more distinctive history.