Portland's traffic ranks 7th worst in U.S.
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Portland-area drivers are more likely to get stuck in traffic than those in nearly any other city in the U.S., according to a new analysis.
Why it matters: Understanding which cities have the worst congestion can help people make decisions about where to work, when to work and run errands, or even when it's time to move, Consumer Affairs researchers found.
Driving the news: Portland has the fourth worst congestion and the seventh worst traffic among 49 major metro areas, according to a report published last week that looked at congestion, travel times and fatal crashes.
By the numbers: Portland sees six hours and 36 minutes of average daily congestion on its roads compared with the national average of three hours and 41 minutes.
- The study used information from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Between the lines: The Portland metro area's worst congestion was on I-5, between Portland and Vancouver at 4pm, per INRIX, which provides transportation data and insights.
- That's the 15th slowest rush hour traffic corridor in the country, where drivers lost an average of 61 hours over a year.
- Yes, but: The congestion doesn't severely impact commute times, Consumer Affairs data analyst Steon Nichols told Axios in an email.
- Portland's average travel time to work is 25 minutes, which is less than the national average, Nichols said.
Zoom in: The current I-5 bridge connecting Oregon and Washington carries more than 130,000 vehicles a day — however, current traffic volumes are still lower than they were before the pandemic.
- The bridge also causes major traffic backups when its movable span rises to let boats pass.
What's next: A joint multibillion-dollar effort between Washington and Oregon is using 2019 traffic levels to model an earthquake-resistant bridge and plans to add capacity via additional lanes and improved bike, pedestrian and public transportation access.
- Construction on the replacement for the century-old bridge is slated to start in early 2026, but not all necessary funding has been secured yet.
- Plus: Proposed tolling on the bridge could only make the area's congestion worse because it could divert toll-avoidant drivers to other congested areas.
The bottom line: For urbanites who are looking to avoid traffic jams and brake lights, Consumer Affairs says St. Louis; Rochester, New York; Oklahoma City, Cleveland and Richmond, Virginia, have the nation's lowest traffic scores.