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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah commuters spend as much as 13 hours every year just sitting in traffic congestion — but a new report says it could be a lot worse.
The Reason Foundation says Utah ranks 20th in the country for traffic congestion. New Jersey, New York and California make up the top three worst places to sit in traffic, according to the report. In New Jersey, drivers spend 70 hours every year stuck in traffic — more than a full work week!
Drivers can expect less wear and tear on their vehicles in Utah because of poor road conditions than in other places. The same report puts Utah at number 9 for overall highway conditions, up one spot from a year ago. Utah scored high for pavement and bridge conditions but lower for deaths on rural highways.
The think tank’s report gave the Utah Department of Transportation high marks for efficiency, saying the agency collaborates well and prioritizes projects for state residents based on objective data.
The best state for congestion, according to the report, was North Dakota.