Here’s How Much Charlotte’s Traffic Congestion Is Costing You

CHARLOTTE, NC — The 2019 Urban Mobility Report presented a troubling finding that commuters across the nation already know too well — traffic congestion in the United States is at an all time worst.

The recently released report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute was based off hundreds of speed data points for every 15 minutes of the average day for almost every mile of major road in urban America.

When it comes to congestion, the Queen City is better off than many urban areas, according to the report, which ranks it as having the No. 28 worst congestion in the U.S. The Charlotte metro also anks 39th in excess fuel per commuter, due to congestion, and 36th in congestion cost per driver.

Here are the congestion statistics for Charlotte:

• Yearly delay per driver: 54 hours
• Excess fuel per driver: 22 gallons
• Congestion cost per driver: $1,160

The urban area of Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim took home the dubious honor of worst overall congestion in the United States.

Here are the ten urban areas with the worst congestion in the country:

1. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: Annual Delay — 119 hours.
2. San Francisco-Oakland, CA: Annual Delay — 103 hours.
3. Washington DC: Annual Delay — 102 hours.
4. New York-Newark, NY: Annual Delay — 92 hours.
5. Boston, MA: Annual Delay — 80 hours.
6. Atlanta, GA: Annual Delay — 77 hours.
7. Houston, TX: Annual Delay — 75 hours.
8. Chicago, IL: Annual Delay — 73 hours.
9. Miami, FL: Annual Delay — 69 hours.
10. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: Annual Delay — 67 hours.

The 2019 Urban Mobility Report measured the congestion problem for a total of 494 urban areas in 2017, which is when the most recent data is available. All together, congestion caused $166 billion of wasted time and fuel, and an extra 8.8 billion hours of travel.

The average urban commuter in 2017 spent an extra 54 hours of travel time on roads, and had to use an additional 21 gallons of fuel.

The average congestion cost per commuter was $1,010.

“The value of investing in our nation’s transportation infrastructure in a strategic and effective manner cannot be overstated,” said Marc Williams, of the Texas Department of Transportation. “As these added costs impact our national productivity, quality of life, economic efficiency and global competitiveness.”