The Most Congested Cities in the US

According to the latest TomTom Traffic Index, these cities' streets are the most congested in the U.S.A.

Among the cities highlighted as the most congested in the United States by the TomTom Traffic Index, normal traffic congestion in terms of street coverage is as follows:

10. Boston, Massachusetts

The New England city of Boston, Massachusetts has some of the worst traffic in the United States. Despite high public transit rates in Boston, there is still a heavy amount of vehicular traffic in the city. In recent years, the city has been considering a traffic tax as an effort to ease congestion.

9. Washington, D.C.

The capital city indicated a small improvement in the overall traffic situation and time spent behind the wheel as compared with the previous records. Yet Washington is facing the same infrastructural problems, with mass transport lagging behind the demand of contemporary metropolitan. The old metro system, once efficient and the subject of innovative advances pride, grew outdated and needs in the modernization.

8. Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu blames its traffic upon outdated urban planning, telecommunications in need of considerable modification, increases in population, and the lack of an alternative route of access to the Waianae Coast. These have all contributed to poor traffic rhyme of Hawaii's main city. Intensive traffic on the Leeward Coast has been a problem for its residents for years. With only one exit, and one entry the daily traffic on weekdays has learned to collect flows from Kapolei and even Mohihi-Street in Waianae, causing motorists spend hours moving at a speed of 3 miles per hour. On the worst days drivers have to pull over and wait for Farrington Highway traffic improvements. Currently there are several road projects aim to reduce congestion in the West Oahu

7. Portland, Oregon

Seven transportation corridors next to Portland are in the list of most trafficking in the United States. Traffic index captured 30% grows of Portland traffic congestion caused by people traveling to work outside of Portland, mostly to high-tech companies in the Western Washington County.

6. Miami, Florida

In Miami traffic congestion soars by 40% during the morning peak hours and by 60% in the evening. Since 2015, Miami's congestion increased on 16 highways and on 36 regular road surface which turns up the traffic would eat up 125 hours a year of a regular commuter. Theoretical road activity models does not work for Miami, the city office is trying to understand the real patterns of traffic depending on time of day, day of week, time of year and in connection with special events. It allows to collect and analyze information about the behavior of vehicles on the road.

5. San Jose, California

San Jose is sharing California's sinking traffic fate, especially the ominous Thursday evening commute, which sees the worst of the peak traffic throughout most of California. This observation came along with analysis of driver's behavior in finding shortcuts, the process that in average add 50 present more time to trip and teach a lesson of patience in standing in a smoky queue.

4. Seattle, Washington

High-tech innovations, not surprising for the city of leading innovations, collect traffic data on time spent on a trip. The database contains the most detailed traffic information delivered in real time from across the city. In 2016 congestion on the road network has not increased compared with a year ago. But it is not getting better in Seattle, yet. Seattle drivers who tend to spend one hour every day driving spend 148 hours of wasted time per year due to regular street congestion. As Seattle continues to be one of the rapidly growing cities in the US due to the high-tech sector boom, city's infrastructure fails to cope with the increasing number of work-related connections.

3. New York City, New York

With kickoff of summer New Yorkers hit the road aiming at 360 directions around the Big Apple. The estimate is about 2 million of traveling New Yorkers for every summer weekend. This observation is the road cameras synthesized information, where evaluation and simulated data is not taken into consideration but pure statistic. It encompasses traffic conditions, bad weather conditions or large-scale road construction. Therefore it leads to real culprits, - the roads with bad traffic jam reputation. The monitoring system allows to evaluate the entire road network, not only main roads but also block passages and narrow one way corridors. Oil price declines allowed saving of about 45 cents on the gallon for motorists as compared to a year ago, and it led to a sensible increase in preference for traveling by car. Based on a measurement of the actual speed of vehicles in Manhattan, Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, New York administration is really trying hold a grip on traffic monster. Since the daily reports reflect data obtained exclusively by drivers of passenger cars, the challenge is to reduce the time that New Yorkers are losing each day, standing idle in traffic jams. Friday and Monday are reportedly the worst days to drive, when a stream of red brake lights don't disappear until quite late in night.

2. San Francisco, California

In San Francisco travel times during the congested period see 39% more in congestion level than in the non-peak hours, which literally means a time loss of more than 30 minutes per hour on the road for drivers. San Francisco authorities claim job increase and business activity as main drivers for traffic increases. The downside is pollution and possible higher blood pressure of all involved in road traffic.

1. Los Angeles, California (45% congested)

The highest Congestion Level percentage across the USA was registered in Los Angeles, which means the extra driving time the LA citizen will spend on road when compared to an uncongested traffic period. The city's overall Congestion Level percentage of 45 percent translates in an average ride would take 45 present longer time-wise in compression when under regular traffic flow. The Los Angeles database of traffic data is updated every minute in a daytime, and is a continuous process. With hundreds of thousands drivers, the road inspection collects information about the duration of vehicles idle stay in five major areas of the city. Thus was discovered that LA area is known for the most congested freeway segments in the world, those are freeways in Orange County, Olympic Boulevard, Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and Vignes Street.

Which City Has the Worst Traffic in the United States?

Los Angeles is said to have the worst traffic in the United States. In peak traffic periods, trips can take up to 41% longer than usual.

10 ​Cities With The Worst Traffic In The United States

Rank﻿CityCongestion Level (%)
1Los Angeles45
2San Francisco39
3New York35
5San Jose32
8Honolulu 29
9Washington, DC 29


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