Study blames good job market in Bay Area, for more traffic & long commutes

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A new study suggests increased traffic in the Bay Area, can partially be blamed on the booming job market, especially in Silicon Valley.

The Mercury News reports the study was prepared by an economist with Marin Economic Consulting in San Rafael.

The researcher called the results, "shocking," and in some cases, worse than in Southern California.

The report found more incidents of megacommutes, than in Los Angeles.

Megacommutes are classified as one person driving by themselvs, 90-minutes or longer one way, to and from their job.

The report found that in 2015, 5.3-percent of people in the Bay Area endure a megacommute.Los Angeles had 4.6-percent.

Silicon Valley workers who live outside the Bay Area, are spending about 57-hours in their cars, which is time that might be better spent with one's families, than on the road.

Researchers say many of these workers live great distances from their jobs, because of the high cost of housing in the Bay Area.

This traffic study notes that gridlock will only get worse in future years.