TxDOT Releases List of 100 Most Congested Roadways

Study shows Texas drivers lost more than 137 million hours on clogged roadways

AUSTIN - As part of an on-going commitment to address congestion, the Texas Department of Transportation today released a list of the 100 Most Congested Roadways. 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.  

"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."

The 100 Most Congested Roadways clearly illustrates the severity and extent of the Lone Star State's traffic problem. Results show 40 percent of the delay encountered by drivers takes 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.

"To truly address congestion in Texas, we must look at a variety of solutions," Wilson said. "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.