When is the peak of rush hour?

[webny99]

Of course, we all have a general idea of when peak times usually are, but what about specific to your area?

If you had to pinpoint the worst half hour in both morning and evening, what time frame would you choose?

In my own area, I'd say 7:35 to 8:05 in the morning, and around 7:45 to narrow it down even further. The afternoon is a bit harder, because I find there are actually two distinct peaks - one right around 4:30 and another slightly worse peak later, closer to 5:30. There often seems to be a lull (at least in the suburbs) around the stereotypical 5:00.

[Rothman]

Rush hour is pretty typical in the Capital District of NY.

However, NYSDOT loves the traffic volume charts created in the Buffalo area.  There is no traditional rush hour in Buffalo.  Rather, there is a single daily peak around noon.  Almost makes me want to move out there so I, too, can just roll out of bed and hit the Mighty Taco for lunch.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'd say it is 6:30 AM to 8 AM in Fresno.  It seems like in most West Coast cities the rush hour is earlier in the day than back east.  In general it seems to be a trend that people get up and start their day at an earlier hour the further west you go.  I chalk that up to pretty much the entire economy being tied in some way to East Coast time.  When I was in Michigan last year I was able to travel unabated by traffic most days until 9:30-10 AM.  It was nice getting a solid 2-3 hours of road travel in bright and early to beat the crowds places I was going.

[bing101]

In Solano County Rush hour peak is at 5:30 am if the Traffic is heading to San Francisco. But if its Solano to Sacramento direction the peak time would be at 6:30.

[bzakharin]

I'd say 8-8:30 is the morning rush in SW NJ. Evening is somewhere around 5-6. I'm not as sure because I'm seldom on the road during the latter (I leave work at 6 and arrive at 7). Once you get on the Atlantic City Expressway (which I use for work), there's virtually no rush hour, and even less so the further east I go.

[oscar]

When I was commuting into Washington D.C. on I-395, the morning rush didn't really end until 10am, and the evening rush could go to 7pm. I worked the late shift, so I usually didn't have to be on the road earlier than that, but when I did I could expect congestion all the way back to 7am in the morning and 4pm in the afternoon.

The new HO/T restrictions on I-66 in Virginia east of I-495 apply from 5:30am-9:30am inbound, and 3pm-7pm outbound. That's a decent measure of the area's rush hours, though made a little long (especially early in the morning and evening rush) to make it harder for commuters to leave home or work early, beating HO/T but at the cost of prolonging rush hours.

At the other end of the scale, when I was doing a project in Augusta GA in 1991, locals would refer to the "rush minute".

[webny99]

In Solano County Rush hour peak is at 5:30 am if the Traffic is heading to San Francisco. But if its Solano to Sacramento direction the peak time would be at 6:30.

When you say peak, do you mean that volumes go down (or remain steady) after those times?

It seems like in most West Coast cities the rush hour is earlier in the day than back east.  In general it seems to be a trend that people get up and start their day at an earlier hour the further west you go.  I chalk that up to pretty much the entire economy being tied in some way to East Coast time.

Indeed; this is something that is totally understandable, and I do believe occurs. I experienced it myself in San Francisco, and have noticed significant "congestion" (on Google Maps) in many of the west coast metros as early as 2 pm (5 pm my time).

[webny99]

There is no traditional rush hour in Buffalo.  Rather, there is a single daily peak around noon. Almost makes me want to move out there so I, too, can just roll out of bed and hit the Mighty Taco for lunch.

In the above quote, the bolded word is by far the most significant

[sparker]

This is San Jose -- when isn't it rush hour?

[webny99]

This is San Jose -- when isn't it rush hour?

I was expecting some responses like this 
It may be true that roads are often congested, but surely there are distinct peaks that we can discuss.

[hotdogPi]

5:15 PM in my area.

[doorknob60]

Morning rush isn't really a thing, especially between 8:30 and 9 when I'm on the road. It might as well be noon. Though, there is a bit of a rush between 7:30 and 8 I would say. Afternoon, roughly 4:45 to 5:30 (lasting a bit later in the suburbs).

[bing101]

In Solano County Rush hour peak is at 5:30 am if the Traffic is heading to San Francisco. But if its Solano to Sacramento direction the peak time would be at 6:30.

When you say peak, do you mean that volumes go down (or remain steady) after those times?

It seems like in most West Coast cities the rush hour is earlier in the day than back east.  In general it seems to be a trend that people get up and start their day at an earlier hour the further west you go.  I chalk that up to pretty much the entire economy being tied in some way to East Coast time.

Indeed; this is something that is totally understandable, and I do believe occurs. I experienced it myself in San Francisco, and have noticed significant "congestion" (on Google Maps) in many of the west coast metros as early as 2 pm (5 pm my time).

Well on the West Coast 5:30 am is the rising time for rush hour when the commute is Solano to San Francisco direction. At 6:30 to 7:30 am its the Sacramento bound commute that rises. Note Solano County is the bedroom community for both Sacramento and San Francisco.

[bing101]

Los Angeles the most notable place for Rush Hour its gotta be longer than what San Francisco has for peak commutes.

[Eth]

It's been so long since I had to commute by car that I actually had to consult Google Maps for this one. The peaks in Atlanta seem to be from about 6:30—9:30 AM and from 3:00—7:30 PM.

[webny99]

It's been so long since I had to commute by car that I actually had to consult Google Maps for this one. The peaks in Atlanta seem to be from about 6:30—9:30 AM and from 3:00—7:30 PM.

Well, of course, and that's great. But I'm looking for much more specific answers - not just busy time periods, but the actual peak itself, and perhaps a brief accompanying analysis.
As I said in the OP, pinpoint the worst half hour (or an even narrower time frame). Granted, it will be in that range somewhere for most places.

[Beltway]

Rush hour is pretty typical in the Capital District of NY.
However, NYSDOT loves the traffic volume charts created in the Buffalo area.  There is no traditional rush hour in Buffalo.  Rather, there is a single daily peak around noon.  Almost makes me want to move out there so I, too, can just roll out of bed and hit the Mighty Taco for lunch.

Wonder why that would be?  I travel there 3 times per year, but don't much use the highways around rush hour, and out around East Aurora in any case.  No Buffalo area traditional peak periods in morning and late afternoon?

[vdeane]

I actually looked at a couple random traffic count stations on I-290 and NY 33 after reading Rothman's comment and they had the traditional morning and afternoon peaks.  I'm guessing that noon peak is specific to some road that is not used for commuting but has lots of places business people go during their lunch break.

[Brandon]

Chicagoland?  Morning starts at 6:30 am and goes through about 9, followed by the evening starting about 4 pm and going through 6:30.

[Bruce]

According to WSDOT's Reliable Travel Times tool, rush hour from Everett to Seattle (rated as the worst in the US) lasts from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the morning and 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the evenings.

[webny99]

I actually looked at a couple random traffic count stations on I-290 and NY 33 after reading Rothman's comment and they had the traditional morning and afternoon peaks.  I'm guessing that noon peak is specific to some road that is not used for commuting but has lots of places business people go during their lunch break.

I can imagine Elmwood Ave and Walden Ave both fit the bill. Buffalo definitely does have rush hours (try 290 East at 5 pm), but it's a running joke I've heard s few times that noon is their rush hour. I'm sure there's some fluke statistic or news article behind it all.

[webny99]

Chicagoland?  Morning starts at 6:30 am and goes through about 9, followed by the evening starting about 4 pm and going through 6:30.

Reply #15 

[Rothman]

I actually looked at a couple random traffic count stations on I-290 and NY 33 after reading Rothman's comment and they had the traditional morning and afternoon peaks.  I'm guessing that noon peak is specific to some road that is not used for commuting but has lots of places business people go during their lunch break.

Phooey.  Region 5 presented the lack of a rush hour at a meeting I was at out there a few years ago.  Forgot what roads they were looking at, but their point was definitely that Buffalo is unique.

[Beltway]

I actually looked at a couple random traffic count stations on I-290 and NY 33 after reading Rothman's comment and they had the traditional morning and afternoon peaks.  I'm guessing that noon peak is specific to some road that is not used for commuting but has lots of places business people go during their lunch break.

Phooey.  Region 5 presented the lack of a rush hour at a meeting I was at out there a few years ago.  Forgot what roads they were looking at, but their point was definitely that Buffalo is unique.

I have encountered substantial congestion on I-90 in the Buffalo area that was in traditional peak periods.  Not used often enough to draw a pattern, but highways I-90 and I-190 and I-290 do get rather congested at times.

[CtrlAltDel]

For a different thread, I posted a chart of a route through downtown Chicago and how long it takes to travel this route depending on time of day and day of the week. I think it fits here, too:



As you can see, on Sunday, there is one traffic peak at 2 pm.

From Monday to Friday, the morning peak is at 7 am, and the evening peak is at 4 pm.

On Saturday, the peaks are at 1 pm and 5 pm.