Can someone explain this traffic phenomenon?

[ckay87]

This has always puzzled me - wondering if there is an actual explanation for this or if anybody has any good theories?

Why is traffic always worse during rush hour on a Friday than during the rest of the week? Assume, of course, that I am not referring to a major artery to the shore or tourist destination. Just plain old local thoroughfares, jammed like crazy on Fridays. Is there a significant population that only works on Fridays or what?

 

[Carly_Roach]

This has always puzzled me - wondering if there is an actual explanation for this or if anybody has any good theories?

Why is traffic always worse during rush hour on a Friday than during the rest of the week? Assume, of course, that I am not referring to a major artery to the shore or tourist destination. Just plain old local thoroughfares, jammed like crazy on Fridays. Is there a significant population that only works on Fridays or what?

That's probably the day when just about everyone actually gets out on time and they're rushing to get their weekend started.

 

[glitterkittyy]

This has always puzzled me - wondering if there is an actual explanation for this or if anybody has any good theories?

Why is traffic always worse during rush hour on a Friday than during the rest of the week? Assume, of course, that I am not referring to a major artery to the shore or tourist destination. Just plain old local thoroughfares, jammed like crazy on Fridays. Is there a significant population that only works on Fridays or what?

Friday is typically also payday so more people are out not only working but shopping, running errands, and paying bills?

 

[mill4023]

I always find that morning rush hour traffic on Fridays is really light and evening rush hour is nasty.
I was thinking that the morning being light was because a lot of people might take Friday off for a 3 day weekend.
But if that's the case, I'm not sure why the evening would be worse than normal.

 

[cepmom]

I always figured it was because during the regular weekdays, the amount of people leaving work was staggered; people working late etc, but on Fridays more people would be leaving work on time to get home for the weekend

 

[ilovepcot]

deleted

 

[Robinrs]

Traffic is bad on Fridays here in Atlanta because of the airport. The difference is AMAZING. We get half the world and most of the country travelling thru here and unfortunately, so many STAY!!

 

[DMickey28]

I think it's because everyone leaves work at 5PM on the nose and not many people work late, while they a lot more people work late other nights of the week!

 

[ckay87]

Traffic is bad on Fridays here in Atlanta because of the airport. The difference is AMAZING. We get half the world and most of the country travelling thru here and unfortunately, so many STAY!!

You did!!!

You all are right about that leaving-on-time thing. That really does make sense. A great mystery of my universe has been solved by my fellow Disers!

 

[FireDancer]

I have found Friday to be light on traffic for me. I think a lot of people work a half day on Friday. Some come in late making the morning rush hour light and some leave early making evening light.

I live in the suburbs and work downtown so I don't have an unusual journey usually. Thursdays are the longest commute for me.

 

[Becky2005]

You all are right about that leaving-on-time thing. That really does make sense. A great mystery of my universe has been solved by my fellow Disers!

Glad that was easy.

I'm still trying to figure out why the tollway just comes to a dead stop at times. You would *assume* it's construction/accident/some sort of delay but as you literally stop, creep 2 miles, stop, creep...then you are back up to cruising speed for no apparent reason it became a parking lot. It's not like there are lights that are causing the back-up, it's just a big stretch of open road. That has always been one of those things that make you go hmmmm....

 

[landshark]

My guess has always been that people are getting out of work on time and are rushing into downtown because they live there and/or they're going out that night. While I'm only on the tollway for a few miles, I never see accidents on my stretch of the inbound lanes so I doubt that's causing it.

 

[mill4023]

Maybe it's because lots of people are going out of town right after work on Friday. So a lot of people are on the roads longer. They leave work, go home, throw their stuff in the car, and head back out on the road. Just a theory.

 

[Jenvenza]

It's the same way here. I always thought it seemed worse because more people leave a little early on Fridays, so by the time 5pm rolls around, there are lots of people off work and traffic is way worse.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I live near the Bay Bridge in MD, and traffic is ALWAYS bad on Friday afternoons as you approach the bridge. I do not think it is all just commuters. Several cars look like they are packed for weekend trips or outings.

Traffic around town is bad on Fridays, too, but I am pretty sure that is b/c a lot of people work compressed schedules and have alternate Fridays off.