ShareThisTraffic Center--Top 5 Best and Top 5 Worst Cities
Drivers stuck in traffic wasted more than six billion gallons of fuel in 1996, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. That was ten years ago, but the traffic situation hasn't improved. Traffic congestion is a national problem, particularly in urban areas where people do a lot of driving. However, some cities do offer better driving conditions than others.
Good Traffic
It's probably no shock that smaller cities, like Colorado Springs, CO and Bakersfield, CA, have less traffic congestion than larger cities. However, you may be surprised to learn that Texas has three of the best five locations with respect to traffic. Laredo, TX; Beaumont, TX; and Corpus Christi, TX each rank as cities with the best traffic conditions. Since 1982, traffic congestion has improved in only two places. Texas again is driving into first, with Houston experiencing a 5 percent drop on the traffic congestion index. Phoenix, Arizona experienced a 1 percent drop in traffic congestion.
Bad Traffic
It stands to reason that with more people driving cars, you get ever more intense traffic jams. The two most highly populated California cities rank as top traffic congestion offenders, with Los Angeles and San Francisco leading the nation in traffic gridlock. In San Francisco, traffic congestion levels increased by more than 50 percent since 1982, along with three smaller cities: Salt Lake City, UT; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY; and Eugene-Springfield, OR. Washington D.C. trucks in at third place overall for traffic congestion. Driving in any of these places during rush hour is likely to prove a less-than-pleasant driving experience.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, traffic congestion across the board has gotten worse in the last 20 years. This stat is no shocker, given our tendency toward driving larger cars with fewer occupants. Want to help to solve or preempt the traffic problem? It's never too late to stop driving and start a carpool.
Sources
Texas Transportation Institute
Federal Highway Administration
