Traffic poised to hamper job growth in Los Angeles County, survey says

COMMERCE, Calif. (KABC) -- Seemingly endless gridlock isn't just an annoyance for commuters anymore, the latest Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed) survey of local employers suggests it could actually hamper regional job growth.

The annual BizFed poll represents a snapshot of issues of concern in the L.A. County business community, based on surveys of business owners and executives on the issues they deem most critical to the ongoing operation and growth of their business.

"We poll every year on what the top concerns are and out of 22 issues transportation, commute time, gridlock popped way up to number two this year," BizFed's founding CEO Tracy Hernandez said.

But that's not all, a whopping 44 percent of the businesses polled said the top reason they'd consider moving out of L.A. is the growing traffic. The transportation problems were second only to taxes and fees.

"That's horrible. We don't want to lose jobs. We don't want any jobs to move and we don't want any companies to move," Hernandez said. "Forty-four percent of the companies said that was their number one issue why they would look to leave, so we need to keep them here by solving this problem."

There is no quick and easy fix, but Hernandez says there are steps local government can take to help.

"We need to put money on the ground faster, we need to build things faster so that people can start moving," she said.

And Hernandez adds, residents need to be in on this as well because so often it is the local neighborhoods that stall progress.

"So we need everyone to just have a bit more patience, understand that it will help us all in the end have a much better quality of life," she said.

City News Service contributed to this report