From MSN:
America's Most Drivable Cities 2003 Most of the time, driving is a pleasurable and relaxing experience. But motorists sometimes find themselves at the mercy of rough roads, traffic jams, and high gas prices. The new "Most Drivable Cities" study ranks 77 U.S. cities based on how easy it is for residents to drive around their city.
America's "Most Drivable Cities" have smooth driving surfaces, free-flowing traffic, low gas prices, and a pleasant climate. So, fasten your seat belt and check out the best and worst cities in which to get around:
The 10 Most Drivable Cities
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX
- Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX These south Texas cities share several characteristics that make them great for motorists. All three cities have very low gas prices and a good driving climate with little snow and hail, and few days below freezing. Drivers in Corpus Christi spend only 6 hours per year stuck in traffic, compared with the national average of 62 hours per year. Corpus Christi also has the lowest travel time index (an indication of free-flowing traffic) of any city in the study. In Brownsville drivers spend only 5 hours annually in congested traffic, and only 5% of the freeways are congested during peak periods. Like Corpus Christi and the Brownsville area, Beaumont-Port Arthur has little congestion. It can get hot in these cities though, and they have slightly more wind and ultraviolet radiation than average. Also, Texas' urban roads are rougher than average.
- Pensacola, FL
- Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL These two Florida cities score well in every category. The roads are smooth and uncongested, the weather is clear, and the gas prices are low. Both Pensacola and the Fort Myers-Cape Coral area have a low travel time index and little annual delay per peak road traveler.
- Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City scores well in the mobility category thanks to a low travel time index and little annual delay per peak road traveler. The climate for driving is a bit better than average and gas prices are very low, but Oklahoma's drivers have to put up with bad roads.
- Birmingham, AL Birmingham's scores are above average in every drivability category. It has very low gas prices and a good travel time index. The climate is good$#151;little snow, hail, and wind$#151;and the roads are smoother than the national average.
- El Paso, TX El Paso has very low gas prices but the roads are rough. Mobility is good too$#151;the travel time index is low and there is little annual delay per peak road traveler.
- Memphis, TN Memphis scores well in all the categories$#151;low gas prices, good mobility, mild climate, and smooth roads.
- Tulsa, OK Tulsa has very low gas prices, good mobility, and a driving climate that is better than average. Oklahoma's rough urban roads kept Tulsa from ranking higher.
The 10 Least Drivable Cities
- Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA
- San Francisco, CA Los Angeles was very clearly the least drivable city studied. L.A. has the nation's worst mobility$#151;the highest travel time index (1.9), the highest annual delay per peak road traveler (136 hours), and the highest roadway congestion index. San Francisco has the highest gas prices in the nation (.20/gallon). Although both cities have rough roads, they have great driving climates.
- Chicago, IL Although its gas prices were lower than average, Chicago scores poorly in every other drivability category. The Windy City has rough roads, a poor driving climate, and slightly worse than average mobility.
- Denver, CO Denver has a very poor driving climate and rough roads. Traffic congestion is slightly worse than average mobility, but at least Denverians pay less for the extra gas they use when stuck in traffic.
- Boston, MA Like many large cities, Beantown suffers from rough roads and slightly worse than average mobility. Low gas prices help offset a generally poor driving climate.
- Oakland, CA Oakland has very high gas prices, very rough roads, and a great deal of traffic congestion. Like nearby San Francisco, Oakland's only positive is its great climate.
- Detroit, MI The Motor City has very rough roads and a driving climate that is worse than average. Drivers who can put up with those deficits are rewarded with average congestion and low gas prices.
- New York, NY Motorists in the Big Apple contend with rough roads and slightly worse than average congestion. The plusses: New York has average gas prices and an average driving climate.
- Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA The Emerald City has worse than average mobility and slightly rougher than average roads. On the other hand, it has a better than average driving climate and average gas prices.
- Washington, D.C Traffic congestion and rough roads make D.C. a difficult place to get around. On the positive side, the nation's capital has a better than average driving climate and lower than average gas prices.
Other Notes:
Overall, cities in the Northeast rank poorly, with Philadelphia at #44, followed by Hartford at #53 and New York at #70. Meanwhile, Southern cities enjoy high rankings due to low gas prices, little traffic, short travel times, and fair climate. The most drivable large city is Atlanta, which ranks 20th overall. San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose have the highest gas prices in the nation. You'll be exceeding the daily average of 2 1/2 hours spent in the car by a typical American if you live in Washington, D.C., Miami or Seattle, when it comes to traffic congestion and average travel time. Detroit, Fresno, and Sacramento have the roughest roads. Keep the AC on when driving in San Bernardino, Austin and San Diego, which take the top spots for warm weather climates. Bringing up the chilly rear is Anchorage, Rochester and Buffalo, where your car's heater will be on for much of the year.
Patrick '93 Cobra