Phoenix drivers are spending more time in traffic
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Traffic congestion is worsening in the Valley, and it's costing you more time in your car, according to a new report.
Why it matters: The findings put some hard data behind a common sentiment: Traffic has been getting worse — or at least different — since the COVID-19 pandemic.
State of play: Phoenix metro drivers spent an average of 76 hours in traffic in 2024, per the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's 2025 Urban Mobility Report.
- That's up from 50 in 2010 and 61 in 2019, the last year before a pandemic-induced drop.
- The average U.S. car commuter is spending a record 63 hours annually stuck in traffic amid changes in when and why we drive, the new report finds.
- Both locally and nationally, the 2024 numbers are the highest since 1982, when the dataset begins.
Meanwhile, things are better in Tucson, where drivers spent an average of 50 hours in traffic last year, the same as in 2019.
Driving the news: Congestion is once again increasing in many cities after a pandemic-era dip, while driver behavior has also changed.
- 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 schedules and travel behaviors.
- Thursday has overtaken Friday with the highest share of weekly delays — perhaps "because some of the Friday travel is not associated with commuting, whereas Thursday has more of a typical commute pattern," per the report.
- Delivery trucks are adding to traffic woes, too.
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.
How it works: The researchers used data from the Federal Highway Administration and INRIX, a transportation analytics firm.
What's next: State Route 30, a planned freeway that will eventually run from Interstate 17's Durango Curve to State Route 85 in Buckeye, will hopefully provide some relief, particularly in the fast-growing southwest Valley.
Yes, but: If you'd rather stay off the roads and avoid sitting in or contributing to congestion, there are mass transit options like light rail and buses.
- Valley Metro light rail now runs from downtown to south Phoenix.
- Planned expansions will bring light rail to the state Capitol area and west along Interstate 10 to the Desert Sky Transit Center at Thomas Road and 79th Avenue.
What we're watching: The report outlines 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.
- Instead, more drivers show up to try to take advantage of the increased supply of roadway, and the traffic problem continues.