Rio added special lanes for the Olympics and traffic has become a nightmare
There are few things more infuriating than a traffic jam.
Unfortunately for citizens and visitors of Rio, the already infamous Rio traffic is about to get worse with the start of the Olympics.
Rio is trying to battle its traffic problems by opening designated highway lanes for Olympic squads and visitors. However, with the opening of these lanes this week, the traffic has only gotten worse.
According to Brazilian news organization Jornol Extra, in the second day of the new traffic lanes, a 12-mile traffic jam occurred with an average speed of 9 miles per hour. On the first working day of the Olympic lanes, there was nearly a 14-mile traffic jam with an average speed of seven miles per hour.
As Wall Street Journal reported, the traffic woes are already so bad that some members of the International Olympics Committee already regret giving the games to Rio.
USA Today's Christine Brennan reported that she spent two of her first nine hours in Rio sitting in traffic. According to Brennan, traffic can also lead to crime problems, with robbers attacking cars stuck in traffic, forcing drivers to abandon their vehicles.
In a city that's facing problems with water conditions, living conditions, and, of course, Zika, traffic is emerging as a another not-insignificant nightmare.