We're spending more time stuck in traffic than ever
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The average U.S. car commuter is spending a record 63 hours annually stuck in traffic amid changes in when and why we drive, a new report finds.
- That's the most since 1982, when the dataset begins.
Why it matters: The findings put some hard data behind a common feeling among many drivers: Traffic has been getting worse — or at least different — since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Driving the news: Congestion is once again growing in many cities after a pandemic-era dip, while driver behavior has also changed, per the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's 2025 Urban Mobility Report.
- Traditional rush hours are returning. Yet there's also been a "noticeable rise in midday congestion," the report finds, possibly tied to remote and hybrid work changing people's schedules and travel behaviors.
- Thursday has overtaken Friday with the highest share of weekly delay — perhaps "because some of the Friday travel is not associated with commuting, whereas Thursday has more of a typical commute pattern."
- Delivery trucks are adding to traffic woes as well.
The big picture: It's getting harder to predict when it'll be busy out on the roads, leading to "added traveler frustration," as the report puts it.
Zoom in: Among metros with at least 500,000 residents, the "yearly delay per auto commuter" grew notably between 2019 and 2024 in cities like San Francisco (+31 hours), San Diego (+24) and Miami (+19).
- That's "the extra time spent during the year traveling at congested speeds rather than free-flow speeds by private vehicle drivers and passengers who typically travel in the peak periods."
- Some areas, like Washington, D.C. (15 fewer hours), Boston (-6) and Austin (-4), saw a decrease.
How it works: The researchers used data from the Federal Highway Administration and INRIX, a transportation analytics firm.
What's next: The report lays out several potential solutions based on local needs, including roadway expansions, better public transportation, new traffic-management technologies and more.
- Cities are experimenting with changes big and small to improve traffic flow, with something as simple as a 10-second streetlight timing tweak making a difference at one Boston intersection, Axios' Steph Solis reports.
Reality check: Expanding a highway doesn't necessarily reduce traffic delays, researchers have found.
- Instead, more drivers show up to try to take advantage of the increased supply of roadway, and the traffic problem continues.
The bottom line: It's not just you — traffic is weird now.
