Get ready to prank a fellow Bostonian this weekend. | Photo by @ovimustea
What would you do with 80 hours? Sit in traffic, apparently. That’s the average time Bostonians lost to traffic congestion in 2024, which is 6% worse than the year previous.
By the numbers
According to a recent report from Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a trip that would take 20 minutes without traffic takes...
25 minutes with traffic
25 minutes in the peak direction
36 minutes to plan for a punctual arrival
When is the worst time to drive?
Traffic is at its worst between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. In the morning, 7-9 a.m. can also be dicey.
But the hands-down worst time to commute? 4 p.m. on a Thursday. 2.4% of the area’s weekly delay happens around then.
When is the best time to drive?
Technically, that would be around midnight. But if you work a nine-to-five, here’s our advice:
Head to work by 6 a.m. or wait until 9 a.m.
If you can leave work early, head out by 2 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 1 p.m. on Fridays.
If your boss is watching, you’ll need to stay at your desk until at least 5 p.m. Or grab a nearby bite from a happy hour spot, and wait out the traffic until 7 p.m.
What about public transit?
There’s always the T. Just be sure to check for delays if you’re in a rush. At least you aren’t footing the gas bill.
Bicycling is also a great option. Good for traffic congestion... and your calves.
Asked
Asked
Do you drive in Boston?
A. I drive everywhere, all the time.
B. My car stays parked unless I’m leaving town.
C. I don’t drive, but I take Ubers and Lyfts.
D. I prefer footpaths and public transit.
Today, Trader Joe’s will open a new location in West Roxbury, moving into an former Walgreens location at 1999 Centre St. The boutique grocer is beloved for its pre-packaged foods + now has four locations around the city. (Boston.com)
A historic 15,000-sqft home in Newport is now on the market. Listed for $22 million, Champ Soleil features a pool, croquet lawn, FAA-approved helipad, and beautiful gardens across its 5 acres + a separate 2-bedroom carriage house and 4-car garage. (Boston.com)
Plan Ahead
The Michelin Guide for Northern Cities will be released Tuesday, Nov. 18 — and for the first time, Boston will be included. Click here to see the Boston Globe’s predictions for restaurants that may earn a coveted star + start making those reservations now.
Seasonal
Snowport has announced its opening day and scheduled lineup of events. Seaport’s holiday shopping market, which includes a 10-ft mistletoe archway this year, will kick off Friday, Nov. 7.
Community
A haunted house display called Morrison Mansion partners with the Ashland Food Pantry to collect food and monetary donations from visitors. Find food pantry locations around Boston here. (CBS News)
Biz
A new salary transparency law took effect yesterday in Massachusetts, which now requires companies with 25+ employees to include a committed pay range for all listed jobs. Learn more about this law from CBS News.
Read
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Trending
Storrowing comes for us all — a Tatte bakery delivery truck was seriously damaged on Wednesday, after getting stuck under the North Harvard Street Bridge. See the photos.(10 Boston News)
Number
21. That’s how many months you could enjoy 0% APR with a balance transfer card. Read: You can tackle credit card debt while enjoying stellar perks, like up to $200 cash back. Discover top cards + apply.*
The Buy
A foaming toilet cleaner you’ll be sad you didn’t make the switch to sooner. Splash Foam Cleaner is the fast, hands-free way to clean toilet rings, stains, and grime. The best part? It does all the hard work for you. Read: No more toilet scrubbing in your future.
Incogni can help remove your personal information from the web. | Image via Incogni
Using hidden cameras, the BBC caught workers at a scam call center laughing at the people they were tricking.
The disturbing truth? Scammers don’t pick phone numbers at random. They buy your data from brokers.
Once your data is out there, it’s not just calls. It’s phishing, impersonation, and identity theft.
That’s why Incogni stands out. The data removal service deletes your personal info from the web, then continuously monitors and removes new data as fresh threats emerge.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
The Wrap
The Wrap
🐙 I’m hoping to be front row at the New England Aquarium’s lecture on octopuses next week — they are among my favorite animals and I’ve enjoyed learning about their cognitive abilities in books like The Soul of an Octopus and Other Minds.
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