By Philip Newman
The Census Bureau said Queens commuters average 41.7 minutes commuting time.Queens was followed by Staten Island at 41.3 minutes, the Bronx at 40.8 minutes and Brooklyn with 39.7 minutes. The average for New York City was 38.3 minutes.The Census Bureau defines “extreme” commuting as trips that require 90 minutes or more one-way to work. The agency said 7.1 percent of commuters in Queens spent that much time getting to their place of employment. In that category, Queens commuters were third in the nation, surpassed only by those in Staten Island (11.8 percent) and Orange County in New York (10 percent).The Census Bureau said 6.9 percent of Bronx commuters fell into the “extreme” category and 5 percent in Brooklyn.Overall, 5.6 percent of New York City commuters required 90 minutes one way for the trip to work, the second highest in the nation after Baltimore.By contrast, citizens of several cities experience relatively short commute times, including Wichita, Kans. with 15.3 minutes, Corpus Christi, Tex. with 16.1 minutes and Omaha, Neb. with 17.3 minutes.Louis Kincannon, director of the Census Bureau, said overall commuters throughout the United States are spending more than 100 hours annually on their way to and from work. All 50 states and cities of 250,000 or more were surveyed for commuting times. After New York City, the longest commutes were in Chicago with 33 minutes and Newark, N.J., Riverside, Calif. and Philadelphia, all with commuting times of about 30 minutes.Census figures indicated that for those who drive to work roads are getting more congested. The survey showed that 77 percent of motorists who drive commute alone in contrast to 73 percent in 2000.Kincannon said the commuting data was used by communities in making decisions on where to build new roads, schools and other facilities.Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 136.
