Philly drivers lost more than 2 days to traffic in 2021

Philly drivers spent more than two days in traffic on average last year, according to new data from the TomTom Traffic Index.

• It gets worse. Drivers lost three days and three hours sitting in rush-hour traffic in 2021.

Yes, but: It's still less time wasted than before the pandemic. Congestion during the morning and evening rush hours last year dropped 13% compared to 2019.

What's happening: Philly's congestion level is creeping up to pre-pandemic levels. The city's overall congestion level last year — 22%— is just 2 percentage points down from 2019's.

• Philly ranks as the 10th most congested city in the nation and 195th globally.

Of note: Unfortunately, Philadelphia traffic-related fatalities spiked over 88% during the first year of the pandemic.

The big picture: The rise of remote work and flexible hours means fewer cars hitting the road, particularly during traditional peak times, Axios' Joanne Muller writes.

• Overall, congestion levels in North America were down 14% in 2021 compared to 2019.
• Some cities are seeing a new "late morning peak" around 11am, while others, including Philly, tracked an evening rush that starts as early as 3-4pm.

Between the lines: Pandemic-driven traffic changes depend on each city's COVID restrictions and characteristics of its workforce, TomTom data specialist Jeroen Brouwer tells Axios.