How Bad Is Staten Island Traffic?
On average, Staten Island drivers spend 92 hours a year in traffic—that’s almost four whole days!
Written by Brittni Brinn
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Staten Island drivers lose about 92 hours to congestion every year, making the greater New York City area the fourth-worst traffic city in America.
A borough of New York City, Staten Island is distinguished by its many park spaces, museums, and historic architecture. New York state has a total of 12,194,360 licensed drivers, and in Staten Island, driving is the preferred way to get to work, being the only borough in NYC where more commuters choose to drive instead of taking the subway.
With the number of drivers in Staten Island, it’s no wonder that traffic in this historic neighborhood is legendary.
Jerry
, the car insurance
shopping app, is here to give you an overview of what traffic in Staten Island is really like—and how you can avoid it. We can also help you lower your Staten Island car insurance cost
down below. 
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How bad is Staten Island traffic?
Staten Island is among the top five worst places for traffic in the United States. Drivers commuting to work from Staten Island to the greater NYC area spend 92 hours a year in traffic on average—that’s a lot of hours! And those hours stuck in traffic translate to wasted gas costs, increased emissions, and more wear and tear on your vehicle (and you).
Why is Staten Island traffic so bad?
Factors that determine traffic in a city are the population, driving habits, and infrastructure, among other things. For Staten Island, most of the traffic problems are a result of the high number of residents who commute and own vehicles and the area’s dependence on four bridges that lead to other boroughs in NYC.
Population size
Staten Island has a population of 495,747, and many of the drivers there own cars—it is the only borough in NYC where commuters prefer to drive to work over taking public transit. This leads to more drivers on the roads, more traffic, and, unfortunately, more accidents.
Although much of the traffic on Staten Island is just passing through, it still gets congested, especially on the following roads:
- Richmond Rd
- Forest Ave
- Clove Rd
- Victory Blvd
- Hylan Blvd
- Amboy Rd
Major chokepoints
Staten Island’s four bridges are major hotspots for traffic. These bridges connect Staten Island to other boroughs in NYC and are the main channels for travel to and from the neighborhood. The bridges are:
- Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
- Bayonne Bridge
- Goethals Bridge
- Outerbridge Crossing
Driving habits
As with many places around the country, the number of drivers on the road is on the rise thanks to relaxed public health restrictions and increased dependence on delivery drivers and services such as Uber and Lyft. The extra cars on the road make a difference to the average commute time, which is around 44.1 minutes a day commuting from Staten Island.
MORE: The best type of car insurance to get if you commute long distances
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Reviewed on 5/28/2023
How to navigate Staten Island traffic like a pro
Before you give into brain-melting frustration of
road rage
from the traffic situation in Staten Island, take a few breaths and avoid getting caught in gridlock by following these helpful tips.- Avoid driving during rush hour. Staten Island rush hours run from about 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Fridays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm is the absolute worst time to commute between NYC and Staten Island.
- Plan alternate routes. This might not always be possible to do in Staten Island, as there are only so many bridges linking the borough to the rest of the city. Using a traffic app may be your best bet for finding shortcuts or less-traveled routes to help you skip at least some of the traffic.
- Keep the radio on for traffic updates. For real-time updates on traffic accidents and construction locations, listen to one of the following news radio stations:
- 710 AM770 AM880 AM970 AM1600 AM
- Stay focused. It’s inevitable that at some point you’re going to have to deal with traffic. Make sure youavoid distractionsas much as possible, stay a safe distance from the car in front of you, and remain alert.
Prepare for Staten Island traffic by updating your car insurance
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by traffic conditions in Staten Island, take some of the pressure off by
updating your car insurance policy
to get coverage for the kinds of accidents that traffic congestion can lead to. Jerry
makes it easy. Once you download our top-rated super app
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“I would 11/10 recommendJerry. I was originally quoted $700+ for insurance for my new car, but by using Jerry I got my payments down to $320 a month. They also have a great support team ready to answer any questions!” —Tobias F.
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FAQs
Is Staten Island hard to drive in?
It can be frustrating to drive in Staten Island—especially if you don’t know the Bayonne Bridge from the Goethals Bridge. To help you feel more confident about tackling the traffic jams and specialized roadways in Staten Island, plan your route before you get behind the wheel, or use a hands-free app or GPS to help guide you.
What is the best time to drive through Atlanta?
To avoid rush hour in Staten Island, drive through the borough before 6:00 am, after 8:00 pm, or between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
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