• Traffic Jam

    Time in a Bottle: America’s Congestion Problem

    In a study released this week, the Texas Transportation Institute found that congestion is getting worse for American commuters. The study reports that Americans spent 4.2 billion hours in traffic congestion in 2005. This figure corresponds to an annual delay of 38 hours for the average peak-hour commuter, almost a full week of work (or vacation). Additionally, these delays led to 2.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel. According to EPA calculators, this means that over 25 million metric tons of carbon dioxide is emitted annually due to urban congestion in the U.S., a number roughly equal to the entire carbon dioxide emissions of Peru, Ecuador, or Cuba.

    To read the full report, click here.