# How many stoplights on your typical commute? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623 "2014-11-14T16:27:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/41 "2014-11-14T20:33:25Z")
3 stop signs, 6 traffic lights and two traffic circles which are clear as glass at 6am. Of course I am driving through the heart of town to get to work every day. Even going the long way just shifts it to 4 signs, 5 lights and no circles. Hardly worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/42 "2014-11-14T20:42:45Z")
So many, I’m not sure I can remember them all by memory… Okay I just mentally drove through the route and counted 17. I might be missing one or two, but 17 is the minimum. That’s a 13-mile commute that takes me 30-35 minutes most days. The key to my commute, though, is the bridge. If the bridge over the river is ever closed due to an accident, it can add at least another 60-90 minutes to my trip home. That’s happened twice in about six years. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/43 "2014-11-14T20:43:47Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > 16 stop lights and 3 stop signs - on a 13 mile commute. > [@skammer; 17900132](#): > > Okay I just mentally drove through the route and counted 17. I might be missing one or two, but 17 is the minimum. That’s a 13-mile commute that takes me 30-35 minutes most days. Whoa, do we live and work together? Are you me? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/44 "2014-11-14T20:58:09Z")
Nine. ---
**Author:** ![TheFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@TheFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFox)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/45 "2014-11-14T21:03:30Z")
1 Stoplight, ~39 miles each way ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/46 "2014-11-14T21:10:24Z")
There are no normal stoplights in my current town. There are two (or is it three? I’m not sure now) of the lights that flash red on two sides and yellow on the others in our downtown square, but they’re basically stop signs that call more attention to themselves. Near the one fire station is a light that flashes yellow in all directions, but can be changed to solid red in the (fairly rare) event of a fire. We also have a large number of uncontrolled intersections, but as far as I know only two one block stretches of one way streets. (on north and east sides of our elementary school). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/47 "2014-11-14T21:20:18Z")
On my longest commute, maybe about a dozen. It’s hard to say, since most of them have timing that heavily favors my route, so I rarely get more than 2 or 3 red. On my currently most common commute, I think it’s 15. Those, I get about half red. On my shortest commute, only three, and two of those are right turns (on the way to work, at least). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/48 "2014-11-14T21:20:38Z")
In about 45 minutes I am going to find out. I am guessing it is 19. I also hit 3 circles. I do travel on 3 major highways but unfortunately only one is a freeway with no lights. About 27 miles each way. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/49 "2014-11-14T21:27:57Z")
25 miles, c. 15-18 on a restricted highway…depends on my route, which depends on the traffic, as I have several options. 4 on one end, 5 on the other, typically. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/50 "2014-11-14T21:55:08Z")
4, all on the “home” side of the freeway. I do have to merge twice each way - on to the freeway, and then between freeways. And coming home, it’s not a light that causes the long wait, it’s the stream of traffic on the surface street I cross to get to the on-ramp. 6.5 miles, takes me 15-20 min each way. Yes, I know how lucky I am (in the Bay Area). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/51 "2014-11-14T22:00:33Z")
I have about a 45 to 50 minute commute, for a distance of about 35 miles. 9 stop lights, 3 rouindabouts, and one small section of road, maybe about a mile at most, with 7 stop signs and a miserably low speed limit (1st gear, 2nd gear, stop, 1st gear, 2nd gear, stop…). If I take the back country roads, the distance is about the same, the time bumps up to about 50 to 55 minutes, and there’s only 3 stop lights, no roundabouts, but still has that wretched bit near the end with 7 stop signs and the miserably low speed limit. During rush hour, the main road commute bumps up to 60 to 70 minutes, where the back road commute remains at 50 to 55 minutes. The main road is also susceptible to accidents, construction delays, and people panicking because of sudden snow storms. I’ve seen delays of 3 to 4 hours because of snow. The back road commute never changes. I am fortunate that I can come in late to work and leave late to avoid driving during rush hour. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/52 "2014-11-14T22:19:22Z")
Back when I commuted … Very long commute. Sometimes over an hour esp. in the evening. More if there were accidents. Going in: basically 3 lights. Two of them were right turns. So hardly any waiting on reds. Coming back: Many of my rights turned into lefts crossing over a freeway to get on. So 2 more lights and none of them rights. Frequent multi-cycle waits. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/53 "2014-11-14T22:20:42Z")
Fifteen if I go one way. Four if I go another. Each time I get in the car I decide if I want to drive fewer miles or sit at fewer lights. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/54 "2014-11-14T22:40:42Z")
None if I take the train. If I take the bus, there are two sets of traffic lights. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/55 "2014-11-14T22:44:22Z")
Let’s see – it’s about 18 miles, 30 minutes. There are no stop lights in the town I live in at all. stop sign, stop sign, stop sign, highway, stop sign, five lights in town, at work. So, five. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/56 "2014-11-14T23:24:59Z")
Sigh. My commute is 15 miles and 45 minutes to an hour almost each day, and it is getting worse. When I lived in NJ it was one stop light and 2 stop signs and I went past a farm with cows and horses. Now I go past the Tesla plant. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/57 "2014-11-14T23:53:35Z")
On my commute to work, there are 6 traffic lights (including the one at the end of the onramp metering traffic onto the freeway). I take one of a number of routes home, depending on how the traffic is on the freeway on that day. There could be as few as 7 if I take the freeway all the way home, or as many as 18 if I jump off the freeway at the earliest reasonable point and take surface streets through town. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/58 "2014-11-15T00:28:16Z")
4 to 7 stop signs depending on which street I use to get out of my subdivision and which side street I use to get to the parking lot. 6 to 8 light-signalled crossings, one almost permanently on the fritz, another that is tightly slaved to the prior block’s so it’s extraordinary that I may have to stop for both. 3 freeway merges each way. Odometer says commute distance about 8 miles total, 5 of them freeway. All of it in the horrid cluster\*\*\*k that is San Juan traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/59 "2014-11-15T00:29:25Z")
I am really lucky. My one-way commute is 30 miles but it is a reverse commute almost all on high-speed roads so it only takes me a very consistent 27 minutes door-to-door. I have 4 stop lights total (2 at each end) and I almost never have to stop for all of them and sometimes none if I time things right. My coworkers who live much closer to work always comment that I live so far away but they don’t realize that it takes me less time to get home than some of them that only live a few miles away from work and have to commute on the much smaller, congested routes. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/60 "2014-11-15T02:55:14Z")
Just one traffic light going to work and I rarely have to stop. Add one stop sign and three roundabouts. Not bad for a 24 mile commute on a 23 mile long island Going home is two stop signs and the same one traffic light. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623.md?page=4)