Woburn Traffic Light One Of MA's Worst: Report

WOBURN, MA — A Woburn intersection is among the 10 worst in the state for traffic light delays, according to a recently-released report.

The transportation analytics company INRIX analyzed over 210,000 signaled intersections across the country and found that Massachusetts generally and Woburn's Commerce Way and Mishawum Road crossing specifically are among the worst offenders.

Just 28.2 percent of cars arrive at the intersection on a green light, resulting in an average 43.8-second delay per vehicle and a 527 total hourly delay.

Nationwide, 62.8 percent of vehicles arrive at intersections on green lights and drivers are delayed just 16.9 seconds on average. The average signal results in 82 hours of delay per day.

But Massachusetts and the Boston metro area are among the worst for several delay metrics. Just 56 percent of drivers arrive on green lights at crossings across the state, the worst mark of any state; the Boston metro rate is 55.9 percent, the worst of any major metro.

The state also fares poorly in seconds delay per vehicle and percent of driver time spent stopped at signals. Across over 4,000 Massachusetts traffic signals, 338,472 hours are spent waiting each day, INRIX found.

The Woburn intersection, although bad, is not the worst in the state or the country. At Broadway and Eastern Avenue, in Malden, just one in five drivers arrives to a green light. And some stops in St. Louis, Philadelphia and Wayne, Michigan perform even worse.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.