Tampa Bay spending more time stuck in traffic
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The average Tampa Bay car commuter spent 64 hours stuck in traffic last year, a new report finds.
- That's 11 more hours than in 2019.
Why it matters: The findings put some hard data behind a common feeling among many drivers: Traffic has been getting worse — or at least different — since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Driving the news: Congestion is once again growing in many cities after a pandemic-era dip, while driver behavior has also changed, per the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's 2025 Urban Mobility Report.
- 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 people's schedules and travel behaviors.
- Thursday has overtaken Friday with the highest share of weekly delay — perhaps "because some of the Friday travel is not associated with commuting, whereas Thursday has more of a typical commute pattern."
- Delivery trucks are adding to traffic woes as well.
The big picture: The average U.S. car commuter spent a record 63 hours stuck in traffic last year, per the report.
- That's the most since 1982, when the dataset begins, per the report.
What's next: The report lays out 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.