Traffic congestion climbs as post-pandemic driving surges » Land Line Media

The pandemic opened up roadways as more people worked from home. Now, Americans are driving more than ever, worsening traffic congestion that costs the country billions of dollars.

For truck drivers, conditions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic were not all that bad. Fewer four-wheelers were on the roads and rates skyrocketed.

Slowly but surely, everything began reverting back to “normal” times. Trends, including bad ones, continued. That includes worsening traffic congestion.

According to Inrix’s annual Global Traffic Scoreboard, the average U.S. driver lost 49 hours to traffic congestion this year. That is six hours more than last year. Since time is money, each driver lost nearly $900 worth of time.

For the entire country, more than 2 million full-time jobs worth of productivity were lost in traffic congestion, costing the country more than $85 billion. That does not account for the commercial costs lost with trucks hauling freight being stuck in traffic.

Although traffic congestion has been increasing over the past several years, it is far from the worst it has been.

In 2019 and 2018, Inrix’s annual scorecard showed Americans waited nearly 100 hours in traffic, more than double the current rate. No explanation was given for the discrepancy. Inrix did not immediately respond to Land Line’s inquiries.

Bob Pishue, Inrix transportation analyst, listed several factors contributing to worsening traffic congestion, including fewer people working from home and using transit. However, federal trade policy could slam the brakes on the economy, taking drivers off the road.

“While the country seems on track to finish the year with a new driving record, uncertainty still exists that may affect driving in 2026,” Pishue said in a blog post. “Return to office driving seems to be slowing down, yet any change in working from home could affect conditions on the road network. In addition, should international trade slow or the economy decelerate, we should expect to see reductions in the growth of congestion.”

Of the nearly 300 urban areas analyzed, 248 experienced worsening traffic congestion this year. Only 12 cities experienced improved traffic conditions:

1. Butte, Mont. (down 67%)
2. Wheeling, W.V. (33%)
3. Delmar, Del. (19%)
4. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (17%)
5. Dana Point, Calif. (12%)
6. Reno, Nev. (11%)
7. Des Moines, Iowa (10%)
8. Everett, Wash. (6%)
9. Little Rock, Ark. (5%)
10. Dublin, Calif. (4%)
11. North Charleston, S.C. (3%)
12. Los Angeles, Calif. (1%)

Chicago holds the top spot for the worst traffic congestion in the U.S., with 112 hours of lost time per driver. It is also the second-worst in the world, trailing only Istanbul with 118 hours lost. That is costing Chicago motorists more than $2,000 in lost time, more than double the national average.

New York City dropped to second place nationally this year after starting its congestion pricing program.

According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, about 87,000 fewer cars each day are entering the traffic congestion zone, a 12% reduction from when the program started. A new Cornell University study shows a 22% drop in air pollution within the congestion pricing zone.

Although the congestion zone may have seen significant traffic improvements, New York City as a whole did not. The Big Apple was one of 30 U.S. cities that experienced no change in traffic congestion. Chicago’s 10% increase was enough to take the top spot.

More than a dozen cities saw a 100% increase in traffic congestion this year:

1. Greenville, N.C.
2. Rochester, N.Y.
3. Nashua, N.H.
4. Syracuse, N.Y.
5. Baytown, Texas
6. Tallahassee, Fla.
7. Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
8. George, Utah
9. Pottstown, Pa.
10. Evansville, Ind.
11. Corpus Christi, Texas
12. Billings, Mont.
13. Columbus, Ga.
14. Macon, Ga.
15. Waco, Texas

In Waco, some truck drivers are getting stuck for hours in a line nearly half a mile long.

According to KCEN-TV, truckers trying to get into the Graphic Packaging International facility waited as long as 13 hours. Some truckers lost out on hundreds of dollars in future loads by wasting an entire day at the facility.

Breaking down traffic congestion by corridor, Connecticut took several spots in the top 10:

1. Stamford, Conn. – I-95 SB from Compo Road to Indian Field Road (8 a.m. peak hour)
2. Stamford, Conn. – I-95 NB from Indian Field Road to Compo Road (5 p.m.)
3. New York City, N.Y. – I-278 WB from I-495 interchange to Tillary St. (4 p.m.)
4. Orland, Fla. – I-4 EB from Andersen Expressway to World Dr. (5 p.m.)
5. San Francisco, Calif. – I-680 EB from Mission Blvd. to Scotts Corner (4 p.m.)
6. Bridgeport, Conn. – I-95 NB from Sherwood to state Route 8 (5 p.m.)
7. Chicago, Ill. – I-55 SB from I-90 interchange to Cicero Ave. (4 p.m.)
8. Boston, Mass. – I-93 SB from Causeway St. to Pilgrims Highway interchange (3 p.m.)
9. Miami, Fla. – Dolphin Expressway from Palmetto interchange to I-95 (8 a.m.)
10. Norfolk, Va. – I-664 WB from I-64 to Western Freeway interchange (4 p.m.)

One contributing factor to worsening traffic congestion is the fact people are driving more. According the Federal Highway Administration, vehicle miles traveled is the highest on record for the first six months in 2025. Despite more driving, traffic fatalities are down.

There could be a correlation between fewer traffic deaths and higher traffic congestion. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities. Worsening traffic leads to lower average speeds. Regardless, several states want to increase speed limits. LL