No one wants to sit in traffic, but for some of us, it’s a part of our daily lives. The worst part? Traffic is only estimated to worsen in some cities, while some might start to see the light at the end of the congested tunnel.
Since COVID-19, cars are being used more, and public transport is being used less. The average US driver lost 42 hours to traffic in one year during 2023. This equals around one work week, costing an individual $733 in lost time. Sit with that for a moment.
I’ve compiled this report based on Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard findings. It’s here to help you understand why some cities are so congested and the economic cost of traffic on an individual and a city—valuable time, fuel, and, ultimately, money spring to mind.
10. Seattle
Seattle is that friend who’s always running late. Drivers spent 58 wasted hours in traffic in 2023, an uptick from 46 in 2022. Aside from the loss of personal time, the financial cost of driving reaches $1010. If we look one step further, the city of Seattle lost up to $1.6 billion due to congestion in 2023.
The increase in traffic might be thanks to tech giants like Amazon, Google, Expedia and Microsoft setting up camp around the center. You would think public transport would lend a hand, but the city’s hilly landscape and waterways make things tricky. Thankfully, new transport lines are in the works.
9. Atlanta
If you’ve ever had the displeasure of driving through Atlanta, you’ll know that traffic here feels like an Olympic sport. The city has all the ingredients for a busy city – a sprawling layout, constant construction, one of the country’s busiest airports, and way too many cars. Not to mention, BIG cars.
Atlanta drivers spent 20% more time in their vehicles in 2023 than in 2022—sixty-one hours, to be exact. And it only makes things worse when driving at 16 mph through the city center. Public transport tries its best, but MARTA’s reach doesn’t quite cut it for the entire metro area.
8. Houston
Houston, we have a problem – and it’s traffic. Everything is bigger in Texas, including the traffic. The city is spread out over ten thousand miles. Throw in some major players like NASA and America’s energy and oil industry, and you can expect plenty of gridlock.
Houston drivers who traveled into the city five days a week spent up to 62 hours in their car in 2023. This increased from 55 hours in 2022. The financial cost for each individual reached $1082, while the city as a whole lost $3.2B thanks to traffic in 2023.
7. Washington D.C.
You would think the nation’s capital would have its traffic situation ironed out. But with government workers, lobbyists, and of course, tourists in the mix, everyone seems to be on the roads here. Plus, streets are narrow and hard to expand because of the historic nature of the city.
Washington D.C. has experienced some of the highest spikes in traffic in the past couple of years. A typical driver lost up to 63 hours in 2023, a staggering 20% increase from 2022. There are talks of improved public transport, but for now, make sure you’ve downloaded a good podcast and have some snacks for the road.
6. Philadelphia
If you drive to work five days a week in Philadelphia, you lost around 69 hours to traffic in 2023. That’s a 4% increase from 2022. Not to mention, your average speed through the city sits at a depressing 11 mph.
The issue here lies in the city’s narrow historic streets, originally designed for horse-drawn carriages. Throw in some potholes that never seem to be fixed, and you’re in for a bumpy ride. The SEPTA public transport works but has its own delays and issues.
5. Miami
The Index indicates that Miami drivers spent 18% more time in their cars in 2023 compared with 2022. This equates to 70 hours each year, up from 66 in 2022. For each driver, sitting in traffic cost $1219, and the city as a whole lost $3.1B in productivity and time.
The main offenders here seem to be a combination of endless constriction, tourist-heavy streets, and unpredictable weather. Hurricane season can see the entire city shut down in a day. It doesn’t help that Miami is a sprawling metropolis hemmed in by another big city (Fort Lauderdale), the Everglades, and the ocean.
4. Boston
Boston’s roads are as tough to understand as the Boston accent. Rush hour is more like ‘rush hours’ here, with imminent road closures and the subway frequently breaking down with delays. The existing roads were built before cars even existed, with little central planning to speak of. Since then, roads have been added ad hoc – and you can tell.
Drivers traveling from Zakim Bridge to Pilgrim’s Highway south along the I-93 spent an extra 81 hours in their cars each year in 2023. Boston drivers lost up to 88 hours to traffic in 2023, a bleak 14% increase from 2022.
3. Los Angeles
LA is the third most congested US city. Everyone drives here, and the public transport system barely makes a dent. The highways here are infamous for traffic, even with countless confusing lanes. I would go so far as to say these highways feel more like parking lots than roads at all.
LA’s I-5 Southbound is one of the busiest roads in the country. Drivers who use this stretch every weekday at 5pm lost a jaw-dropping 122 hours to traffic in 2023. In fact, just driving along the I-12 five afternoons a week racked up 70 hours of gridlock time over 2023.
2. Chicago
Chicago remained the fifth most congested city in the world in 2023. The only US city to top it is New York. The average driver lost 96 hours of time to traffic in 2023, a 10% uptick from the previous year.
Chicago is also one of the most expensive cities to sit in traffic. In 2023, daily commuters spent up to $1672 on fuel and car costs. It also cost the city an estimated $6.1B. All that to drive 11 mph through the city center…
Winters are brutal, and snow turns roads into a slushy mess of brake lights. Plans are underway to improve things with rapid transit lines during peak hours and safe bike and pedestrian pathways.
1. New York City
On a scale of 1 to ‘I’m never getting there’, New York scores a high 9. It’s no honor to top this list, but in true Manhattan style, New York trumps it as the most congested urban area on the index.
In 2023, the average driver lost 101 hours to traffic. Not only did this steal valuable hours (and up to $1762) from its citizens, but it also cost the city over $9.1B in lost time.
The subway sure helps, but there is no getting around the fact that more than 29 thousand people live within one square mile here. Not-so-fun fact: New York is another city that has only become more congested than before COVID-19.
English