We're spending more time stuck in traffic in Atlanta
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The average person commuting in Atlanta is spending 87 hours annually stuck in traffic amid changes in when and why people drive, a new report finds.
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.
Zoom in: In metro Atlanta, the "yearly delay per auto commuter" grew by nine hours from 78 to 87 between 2019 and 2024.
- 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," according to the report.
Yes, but: Atlanta's spike is not as bad as other cities that experienced double-digit increases, such as San Francisco (31 hours), San Diego (24) and Miami (19).
- Other areas saw a decrease, including Washington, D.C. (15), Boston (6) and Austin (4).
The big picture: It's getting harder to predict when it'll be busy on the roads, leading to "added traveler frustration," the report stated.
Context: The report's findings won't surprise anyone who uses a vehicle to get around Atlanta.
- The city had the eighth highest daily per capita vehicle miles (33.6) traveled (VMT) among the 50 most populated U.S. metros during the fall of 2023.
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.
Reality check: Expanding a highway doesn't necessarily reduce traffic delays, researchers have found.
- 39% of the respondents to a survey commissioned by the Atlanta Regional Commission agree and support expanding public transit to solve the region's long-running traffic woes.
The bottom line: It's not just you — traffic is weird now.