Pittsburgh traffic congestion is worse than ever
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Traffic is getting worse in metro Pittsburgh — drivers now spend nearly 18% more time stuck in congestion than before the pandemic, a new report finds.
Why it matters: The findings put numbers to a familiar headache: as traffic rebounds from its pandemic lull, Western Pennsylvania's web of bridges and tunnels creates chronic chokepoints.
- Steep hills, narrow streets and aging infrastructure only make it worse.
State of play: The average driver in the Pittsburgh area spent 53 hours sitting in traffic in 2024, per the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's 2025 Urban Mobility Report. That's eight more hours than in 2019 and the highest since the earliest measurement in 1982.
By the numbers: Pittsburgh-area commuters wasted more than 17 million gallons of gas last year sitting bumper-to-bumper. That's 20 gallons per Pittsburgh driver.
- The average driver lost $1,450 in productivity and wasted fuel due to congestion last year.
Context: Congestion is growing in many cities after a pandemic-era dip, while driver behavior has also changed, per the report.
Zoom in: Traditional rush hours are making a comeback, but there's been a notable uptick in midday congestion, the report finds. The shift may stem from remote and hybrid work altering when and how people travel.
- In Pittsburgh, traffic is highest between 7am-9am and 2pm–6pm on weekdays.
The big picture: Pittsburghers aren't alone. The average U.S. commuter is spending a record 63 hours each year stuck in traffic.
- It's getting harder to predict when it'll be busy out on the roads, leading to "added traveler frustration," per the report.
What's next: The report lays out several potential solutions, including roadway expansions, better public transportation, new traffic-management technologies and more.