Jan 23, 2026 - Transit
Cleveland drivers spent a full day in rush hour traffic in 2025
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Cleveland drivers wasted just over 24 hours stuck in rush-hour traffic last year, per the TomTom Traffic Index, a four-hour bump from 2024.
Why it matters: That's a full day staring at somebody else's license plate, tail lights and — if you're lucky — the occasional quippy highway sign.
By the numbers: Cleveland's congestion isn't so bad when compared to the country's major cities. It ranked No. 75 overall, behind both Columbus (61) and Cincinnati (68).
- Drivers in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York all spent multiple days, in aggregate, stuck behind the wheel while commuting.
The big picture: Worldwide congestion rose five percentage points from the previous year, the company found.
- "Rising levels of congestion globally lead to more emissions, higher fuel consumption, reduced productivity, and growing pressure on urban infrastructure."