In a study that shows drivers in the state lost more than 137 million hours on clogged roadways, the Texas Dept. of Transportation released a list of the 100 Most Congested Roadways.
The 100 Most Congested Roadways study illustrates the severity and extent of the Lone Star State’s traffic problem. Results show 40% of the delays encountered by drivers take place in the top 20 roadways on the list. Additionally, the total delay in hours — more than 137 million hours — carries with it an economic cost in lost time and wasted fuel of nearly $3 billion.
Topping this year’s list is a section of I-35W in Ft. Worth that caused Texas motorists to spend more than 2 million more hours traveling on a section of road that is only 3.7 miles long.
The Top 10 highway sections on the list are:
- I-35W from I-30 to SH-283 with 1,160,961 annual hours of delay at a cost of $45.75 million
- I-635 from I-35E to US-75 with 2,746,223 annual hours of delay at a cost of $109.71 million
- I-45 from I-160 to SL-8 with 3,115,337 annual hours of delay at a cost of $116.49 million
- I-35 from SH 71 to US-183 with 2,949,091 annual hours of delay at a cost of $110.25 million
- Woodall Rodgers Fwy from N Industrial Blvd. to US-75 with 711,029 annual hours of delay at a cost of 27.6 million
- US-75 from I-635 to Woodall Rodgers Fwy with 2,990,841 annual hours of delay at a cost of $104.45 million
- US-59 from I-10 to SH-288 with 1,244,308 annual hours of delay at a cost of $38.13 million
- US-59 from SH-288 to I-610 with 1,575,671 annual hours of delay at a cost of $56.32 million
- I-35E from I-30 to SH-183 with 1,506,015 annual hours of delay at a cost of $54.99 million
- I-45 from I-10 to I-610 with 794,501 annual hours of delay at a cost of $31.95 million
“One of the best ways to keep Texas moving is to identify those roadways causing the most delays,” said Phil Wilson, TxDOT executive director. “Results from this annual study validate our approach to moving aggressively with our priority projects in Texas to address congestion and help Texans get to and from work and help them easily and safely move around our great state.
“To truly address congestion in Texas, we must look at a variety of solutions,” Wilson added. “Most often, reducing traffic congestion is more effectively achieved by improving or constructing alternate routes, quickly clearing crashes, re-timing traffic signals, augmenting transit and implementing workforce efforts such as telecommuting and flexible work hours.”
This 100 Most Congested Roadways list is created annually with the help of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI). The methodology used to compile the list combines TxDOT’s roadway inventory and traffic volume data with speed data from INRIX, a private company that provides data to several navigation and traveler information services. The analysis is conducted on all roads in Texas regardless of the agency that built or maintains them; city streets and non-state-operated toll roads are included in the list.
To see the complete list go to http://apps.dot.state.tx.us/apps/top_100/.
