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Which Cities in the US had the Worst Traffic in 2023?

Traffic conditions have a direct impact on the growth of the country. Better traffic conditions contribute to the overall growth of the country; however, vice versa is also true. Nobody likes the experience of sitting bumper-to-bumper and simply feeling stuck with nothing you can do about it. People tend to avoid heavy traffic by timing their commute to avoid rush hours, and planning alternative routes, etc. 

Moreover, traffic congestion is caused by multiple factors, such as the availability of public transportation options, the volume of cars and trucks on the road, the road grid, and the density of the environment in terms of residents, businesses, and population attractions. 

Here is the list of 25 US cities with the worst traffic conditions in 2023

1. New York City, New York – The time lost due to congestion is 104 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $2,370.  

2. Chicago, Illinois – The time lost due to congestion is 104 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $2,360.  

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The time lost due to congestion is 90 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $2,050.

4. Boston, Massachusetts – The time lost due to congestion is 78 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $2,270.

5. Miami, Florida – The time lost due to congestion is 66 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,220.  

6. San Francisco, California – The time lost due to congestion is 64 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,900.  

7. New Orleans, Louisiana – The time lost due to congestion is 63 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,150.

8. Los Angeles, California – The time lost due to congestion is 62 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,420.

9. Houston, Texas – The time lost due to congestion is 58 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,240.

10. Atlanta, Georgia – The time lost due to congestion is 53 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,160.

11. Portland, Oregon – The time lost due to congestion is 48 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,120.  

 12. Stamford, Connecticut – The time lost due to congestion is 46 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,150.

13. Dallas, Texas – The time lost due to congestion is 44 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $960. 

14. Washington, D.C – The time lost due to congestion is 44 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,300.

15. Denver, Colorado – The time lost due to congestion is 40 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $940.

16. Concord, California – The time lost due to congestion is 40 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $1,190.

17. Providence, Rhode Island – The time lost due to congestion is 38 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $870.

18. Baltimore, Maryland – The time lost due to congestion is 37 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $850.

19. San Diego, California – The time lost due to congestion is 32 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $720.  

20. Austin, Texas – The time lost due to congestion is 32 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $720.

21. Seattle, Washington – The time lost due to congestion is 30 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $870.

22. Las Vegas, Nevada – The time lost due to congestion is 28 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $500.

23. Sacramento, California – The time lost due to congestion is 25 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $580.

24. San Antonio, Texas – The time lost due to congestion is 23 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $570.

25. Phoenix, Arizona – The time lost due to congestion is 21 hours per driver in a year, and the annual added cost per driver is around $460.

Root Causes of Traffic Congestion

The major key causes of congestion are:

  • Heavy traffic during the holiday season. 
  • Rough weather conditions.
  • Road accidents. 
  • Customs slowdown and loading and unloading delays at ports.
  • Glitches in the warehouse. 
  • Labor strikes or lockdowns in industries. 

Effects of Traffic Congestion on Logistics Operations

Traffic congestion-related delays are major pain points in the logistics industry. At a minuscule level, logistics giant UPS suffers an additional operating cost of $105 million yearly for just a five-minute delay in traffic. Below are its negative impacts:

  • It leads to delays in the delivery of goods and services, which causes customer dissatisfaction. 
  • It adds extra operational costs to the supply chain.
  • It makes predictions and estimates go awry. 
  • It affects Just in Time business models, which rely on a prompt supply of goods. 
  • It adds to CAPEX costs. 

How to Overcome Congestion and Speed up Logistics?

Here are some strategies that help to overcome traffic congestion and speed up the logistics operation:

  • It is important to have an efficient route planner that provides the most congestion-free and optimized route. Explore NextBillion.ai’s Route Optimization API.
  • Use near-shoring as a sourcing strategy to reduce time spent on logistics.
  • Logistics firms must lower inventory levels through centralized warehousing.
  • Developing a system that streamlines the logistics process, increases the shipping frequency, decreases lead time, and provides quick response. 
  • Use Cross-docking. Under this, when goods are loaded on one dock, they should be quickly sorted and directed to another. 

Moreover, NextBillion.ai’s Road Editor tool is a game changer in overcoming traffic congestion problems. It precisely reflects the road closure, restrictions, speed limits, and permits on the selected route. The fleet operators can utilize this tool to update the underlying road network data to reflect upcoming restrictions based on vehicle type, permissions, time of day, etc. 

In this Article

About Author
Vansh Gaur

Vansh Gaur is a freelance technical writer based in India. He is a technology enthusiast who loves working in the B2B tech space.

Frequently Asked Questions

New York has the worst traffic in the USA. As per the TomTom reports, on average, commuters spent 24 minutes and 50 seconds to drive about six miles in 2023. 

The 10 most congested highways in America are:

  1. I-95 at SR 4, Fort Lee, New Jersey
  2. I-285 at I-85 (North), Atlanta, Georgia
  3. I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East), Nashville, Tennessee
  4. I-45 at I-69, Houston, Texas
  5. I-75 at I-285 (North), Atlanta, Georgia
  6. I-290 at I-90, Chicago, Illinois
  7. I-20 at I-285 (West), Atlanta, Georgia
  8. I-71 at I-75, Cincinnati, Ohio
  9. SR 60 at SR 57, Los Angeles, California
  10. I-710 at I-105, Los Angeles, California  

California has the highest level of traffic congestion in the U.S. Around 40 million people, which is about 12.25% of the whole US population, reside in California. 

London has the worst traffic in the world. As per the TomTom reports, on average, commuters spent 37 minutes and 20 seconds to drive about six miles in 2023. Moreover, people lose 148 hours every year in the UK capital.Â