Houston is home to Texas' worst highway traffic
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Houston is home to five of the top 10 most congested highway segments in Texas.
Driving the news: For the second year in a row, West Loop 610 between Interstate 10 and Interstate 69 took the top spot as the most congested roadway in the Lone Star State, according to the annual ranking compiled by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI).
- Drivers along the West Loop collectively waste more than 1.1 million hours per mile waiting in traffic each year.
- That translates to nearly $98 million in wasted fuel, according to TTI.
The big picture: The portion of North Loop 610 West from I-10 to Interstate 45, two segments of I-69 from the West Loop to I-10, and I-45 South from South Loop 610 East to I-10 also made the top 10.
Zoom out: Highways in Austin and Dallas helped fill out the rest of the top 10 list.
- Dallas' Woodall Rodgers Freeway between U.S. 75 and North Beckley Avenue took the No. 2 spot, while Austin's Interstate 35 between U.S. 290 and Ben White Boulevard took third place.
Why it matters: The data helps state and local authorities plan transportation projects, which mostly include expanding freeway lanes.
- The West Loop 610 interchange with I-69 is undergoing an approximately $300 million renovation, while I-69 between Midtown and downtown is planned to be widened through the North Houston Highway Improvement Project.
Yes, but: Wider freeways often make traffic worse, according to CityLab.
The intrigue: Houston leaders are reimagining how we get around as another way to address the congestion.
- The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is pushing for more bus rapid transit lines — essentially dedicated lanes of traffic for buses — as an alternative to expanding light rail.
- Houston is also beefing up its bike lane network.