Traffic congestion is an all-too-common reality for drivers in the United States. Whether you’re living in a major metropolitan area or a smaller city, you’re likely to face delays at some point. But which US city has the worst traffic?
According to the 2019 Traffic Scorecard from INRIX, the most congested city in the US is Los Angeles, California. INRIX analyzed 1,360 cities from all 50 states and found that drivers in Los Angeles spent an average of 102 hours in traffic congestion during peak hours in 2019. This was nearly double the national average of 56 hours.
Following Los Angeles on the list of the most congested cities were New York (89 hours), San Francisco (83 hours), Washington DC (75 hours), and Boston (70 hours). Not surprisingly, all of these cities are major metropolitan areas with large populations.
But there are other cities that are less populous but have worse traffic. Seattle, for example, had the sixth-highest score on the list, even though its population is just under 750,000. Drivers in Seattle spent an average of 66 hours in peak traffic in 2019.
Other cities with worse-than-average traffic include Honolulu (63 hours), Chicago (58 hours), Philadelphia (57 hours), Atlanta (54 hours), and Dallas (51 hours).
Overall, the INRIX study found that traffic congestion is a major problem in most US cities, but it’s particularly bad in Los Angeles and other large metropolitan areas. Drivers in Los Angeles spent an average of 102 hours in traffic congestion during peak hours in 2019, making it the most congested city in the US.
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The Worst Traffic Congestion in America: A Look at Which US City Has The Highest Levels of Traffic
Every year, millions of Americans are stuck in traffic caused by congestion in major cities. But which US city has the highest levels of traffic congestion?
According to a study by INRIX, the worst traffic congestion in the US is in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles is the most congested US city, with an average of 104 peak hours spent in traffic in 2019. This is more than double the national average of 41 hours, making LA the most congested city in the US. New York City is the second most congested US city, with an average of 89 peak hours spent in traffic last year. Other cities with high levels of traffic congestion include San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago.
The study also found that the most congested traffic corridor in the US is the I-405 in Los Angeles. Drivers spend an average of 164 peak hours in traffic on the I-405 each year, more than any other corridor in the US. Other highly congested corridors include the I-95 in New York City, the I-5 in Los Angeles, the I-90 in Seattle, and the I-10 in Houston.
The INRIX study also looked at the economic cost of traffic congestion. The total cost of traffic congestion in the US was $87 billion in 2019, an increase of 11% from 2018. Los Angeles was the most expensive city for traffic congestion, with a cost of $19.2 billion. Other cities with high costs of traffic congestion include New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago.
The following table provides a comparison of the cities with the worst traffic congestion in the US:
| City | Average Peak Hours in Traffic |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 104 |
| New York City | 89 |
| San Francisco | 80 |
| Washington, D.C. | 76 |
| Boston | 68 |
| Chicago | 67 |
Traffic congestion is a major problem in the US. Cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago all suffer from high levels of traffic congestion, which leads to economic losses and decreased quality of life. To make matters worse, the problem is only getting worse as the population and number of cars on the road continues to grow.
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Navigating the Most Traffic-Plagued US Cities: Uncovering the Metros with the Most Congestion
Navigating the most traffic-plagued US cities can be a challenge for travelers and commuters. As such, it is essential to know which cities have the worst congestion. According to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s 2018 Urban Mobility Scorecard, the following US cities have the highest rates of traffic congestion:
Los Angeles, California: With the greatest number of hours of delay per auto commuter at 104, Los Angeles is named the traffic-plagued city with the most congestion. This means that each auto commuter in LA is stuck in traffic for an extra 104 hours due to congestion annually.
San Francisco, California: San Francisco ranks second on the list with 83 hours of delay per auto commuter.
New York City, New York: New York City is the third most congested city with 79 hours of extra delay per auto commuter annually.
Washington, DC: Washington DC comes in fourth with 74 hours of delay per auto commuter.
Boston, Massachusetts: Boston ranks fifth with 65 hours of delay per auto commuter.
Seattle, Washington: Seattle comes in sixth with 61 hours of delay per auto commuter.
Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta ranks seventh with 59 hours of delay per auto commuter annually.
Chicago, Illinois: Chicago is the eighth most congested city with 57 hours of delay per auto commuter annually.
Houston, Texas: Houston is the ninth most congested city with 56 hours of delay per auto commuter
Riverside, California: Riverside ranks tenth with 53 hours of delay per auto commuter.
These cities have the highest rates of congestion, so travelers should plan ahead and allow for extra time to get to their destinations. Beyond the top ten cities, the rest of the US cities with the most traffic-plagued routes are San Jose, California (51 hours of delay per auto commuter), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (48 hours of delay per auto commuter), and Portland, Oregon (45 hours of delay per auto commuter).
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Los Angeles is frequently cited as the US city with the worst traffic.
Los Angeles often ranks first in the US cities with the worst traffic congestion.
The main causes of traffic in Los Angeles are population growth, inadequate public transportation, and a lack of roads.
Los Angeles is attempting to mitigate traffic congestion through improving public transportation, implementing ride-sharing services, and increasing available parking.
The most congested roads in Los Angeles are the 405, the 5, and the 101 freeways.
During rush hour, traffic in Los Angeles can become severely congested, making travel times significantly longer than usual.
The effects of traffic congestion in Los Angeles include increased air pollution, decreased quality of life, and decreased productivity.
To avoid traffic in Los Angeles, travelers can plan their trips ahead of time and use alternate routes to avoid congested areas.
The best times to travel in Los Angeles are typically in the mid-morning and late afternoon, when traffic is lighter than during peak hours.
Los Angeles is actively working to reduce traffic through various initiatives such as improving public transportation and ride-sharing services.