Cities With The Worst Traffic In The U.S.

A record number of Americans will travel for the Fourth of July holiday. More than 43 million are expected to hit the road, according to AAA, an increase of 1.3 percent over last year. Depending on where they're going, the road trip can be extended by several hours. Inrix, a global company that provides information about traffic, and TomTom, a navigation system maker, have recently released their annual index and scorecard about the cities in the U.S. with the worst traffic.

The average commuter in Los Angeles wasted 81 hours sitting in traffic. LA has been ranked the worst American city in terms of being stuck in the car on the highway by both Inrix and TomTom. The latter says that the city of angels had an overall congestion level of 41 percent last year.  

People in San Francisco spend 75 hours stuck in traffic, according to Inrix, which rates the Golden City third in the worst traffic category. TomTom ranked it second with a congestion level of 36 percent and an extra travel time increase by 2 percent.

Driving in the nation's capital will also cost you 75 hours of sitting in the car on your way anywhere, according to Inrix. This is the second most car-jammed city in the U.S, tied with San Francisco. TomTom  ranked D.C. 8th with 26 percent congestion level. However, the extra time travel on all roads is down by 1 percent.

Houston is the fourth most congested city in America with 74 hours spent in the car while commuting, according to Inrix's index. The metropolis in Texas  just missed TomTom's top 10 worst cities in terms of traffic, ranking 11th with congestion level of 25 percent and no change in extra travel time.

The people in the city that never sleeps seem to always be on the road, spending 73 hours of their time in traffic. NYC is No. 5 on Inrix's index and No. 3, according to TomTom. New Yorkers' travel time has increased by 2 percent, leading to a congestion level of 33 percent.

Seattle ranked 6th when it comes to average hours wasted in traffic – 66. The Emerald City doesn't fare any better with TomTom. Its calculations have ranked it 4th with 31 percent more time spent in traffic during the day.

The average person in Boston spends about 64 hours in traffic, according to Inrix, ranking it the 7th worst in America. TomTom puts Beantown at 12th place, barely behind Houston, with a congestion level of 25 percent.

In you drive in Chicago a lot, be prepared to waste about 60 hours of your time stuck in your vehicle. Inrix has ranked the Windy City No. 8 in terms of the worst places for traffic. According to TomTom, Chicago is the 10th worst with a congestion level of 26 percent, but extra travel time was reduced by 1 percent. 

The number of average hours wasted in traffic in Atlanta, one of the most dangerous cities in the country, is 59, securing the city the No. 9 spot in places that are worst for traffic, according to Inrix. TomTom has calculated that the congestion level there is 24 percent, ranking it 13th. There is no change in the extra travel time for locals.

Honolulu, which is one of the cleanest cities in the U.S., is the 10th city in America with the worst traffic but with significantly fewer numbers of hours spent sitting in the car – 49. The Aloha City scored worst in the TomTom ranking; it's listed at the 6th worse place for traffic with congestion levels of 29 percent. However, the extra travel time is down by 3 percent.

San Jose didn't make Inrix's Top 10 list but it made TomTom's Top 5. Locals spend 30 percent more time sitting in their cars, compared to when there are free-flowing conditions on the roads. There is no change in the amount of extra travel time during peak hours.  

Miami, one of the reasons why Florida is a hotspot vacation destination, is out of Inrix's index. However, TomTom ranks it with having the 7th worst traffic in the country with a congestion level of 28 percent. There is an increase in extra travel time as well – 1 percent.

The largest city in Oregon, which is trying to become the fittest state in the U.S., is No. 9 in TomTom's ranking. The congestion level in Portland is 26 percent and there is no change in extra travel time for locals.