Metro Networks Presents 'The Top Ten Worst Holiday Traffic Tie-Ups In America'

- The Experts at the Nation's Largest Traffic Gathering Organization Unveil The Ten Worst Traffic Tie-Ups During The Holiday Season -

NEW YORK, Nov. 19 -- Metro Networks, a Westwood One company and the largest traffic gathering and reporting operation in America, unveiled today the list of The Top Ten Worst Holiday Traffic Tie-Ups in America. Compiled by Metro Networks traffic experts from across the country, the list covers the top 10 biggest traffic hot spots, in the largest U.S. markets, during the holiday season.

Metro Networks' traffic gathering infrastructure is the largest in the world, including more than 60 local traffic operation centers, 1,600 traffic reporters, producers and broadcasters, over 70 aircraft, and agreements with Departments of Transportation for ITS and 511 service deployment. Metro Networks helps millions of commuters navigate ever-changing traffic conditions daily through radio and TV traffic reports; real-time online traffic services, traffic alerts on mobile devices and traffic data integration into OEM vehicle navigation systems.

"Traffic congestion remains one of the most significant issues in American cities of any size year round," says John Frawley, EVP of Broadcast Operations at Metro Networks. "This time of year especially, the mix of holiday travelers and shoppers magnifies the demand for accurate and timely traffic information as provided by Metro."

  THE TOP TEN WORST HOLIDAY TRAFFIC TIE-UPS IN AMERICA

  New York-Philadelphia-Washington, DC -- Interstate 95.  This corridor is
  easily the slowest 225 miles of highway during the holidays.  The section
  from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the George Washington Bridge is the
  worst of it.

  Boston -- Westbound Massachusetts Turnpike from downtown Boston to
  Interstate 84 in Sturbridge. This a 56-mile stretch that on the day before
  Thanksgiving has been known to completely back-up due to Interstate 84
  serving as the main route south connecting Boston with the rest of the
  Eastern Seaboard.

  Los Angeles -- Both sides of Interstate 5 from the Grapevine through
  Orange County. Northbound gets tightly congested with holiday travelers
  heading to San Francisco, and  beyond, while southbound lanes attract
  those heading towards San Diego and Tijuana.

  Washington, DC -- Interstate 95 from Springfield, VA (just south of DC)
  through Fredericksburg, VA. This 30-mile stretch south of Washington, DC
  experiences extensive delays on a regular basis, which are only amplified
  during the holiday season. 15-20 mile back ups are not uncommon during
  peak holiday travel times.

  New York City -- The Throgs Neck Bridge and Whitestone Bridge, both of
  which connect the Bronx and Queens. The two heavily traveled bridges are
  key choke points along the main artery connecting upstate New York,
  Connecticut and Long Island.

  San Francisco -- Eastbound Interstate 80 through Sacramento to Lake Tahoe.
  San Franciscans seeking "holiday weather" heavily travel this route to the
  nearby ski resorts and mountains.

  Philadelphia -- Northbound Interstate 476 from the NB Northeast Extension
  of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PATP) from the Mid-County tolls up to
  Lansdale. This stretch of roadway can back up more than 12 miles as a
  result of motorists heading up to the Pocono Mountains for the holidays.

  Miami -- The Palmetto Expressway in both directions from Okeechobee Road
  to south of the Dolphin Expressway.  The expressway serves as the Western
  border of Miami International Airport and to add to the holiday travel
  congestion, it is also currently under construction.

  Dallas -- East and Westbound 635 LBJ is already a heavily congested area
  in North Dallas, but with holiday shoppers flocking to Valley View mall,
  traffic really bogs down between 75 Central and I-35 E.

  Detroit -- Northbound I-75 and NB US-23, especially where they merge (near
  Flint). Extreme congestion occurs as cabin-owners and resort-seekers
  combine with hunters heading north during Michigan Firearm Deer Season
  (11/15-12/17/07).

  Honorable Mentions
  San Francisco Area -- 101 NB from Golden Gate Bridge through Marin County

  Washington, DC -- The Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway, I-495. It is not
  unusual to find delays which begin in Merrifield, Virginia and extend to
  Landover, Maryland, some 30 miles away; nearly half the distance around
  the Beltway.

  Atlanta -- Interstate 285 (Perimeter Highway) in both directions between
  I-75 and I-85. This is a main route for shoppers heading to area malls
  creating massive congestion during the holiday season.

Westwood One provides over 150 news, sports, music, talk, entertainment programs, features and live events. Through its subsidiaries, Metro Networks/Shadow Broadcast Services, Westwood One provides local content to the radio and TV industries including news, sports, weather, traffic, video news services and other information. SmartRoute Systems manages traffic information centers for state and local departments of transportation, and markets traffic and travel content to wireless, Internet, in-vehicle navigation systems and voice portal customers. Westwood One serves more than 5,000 radio stations. Westwood One is managed by CBS Radio. For more information visit www.westwoodone.com.