Weary DC-area commuters are well aware of the toll that traffic can take on your day. But do you know just how much time you spent getting to work last year? The average commuter in Washington, DC, lost about 62 hours due to traffic congestion, according to the 2024 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard.
This annual survey analyzes the commuting patterns of more than 900 urban areas around the world. The latest study found that the typical U.S. driver lost about 43 hours to traffic congestion in 2024 — significantly lower than the DC area’s number.
That time spent in traffic makes DC the ninth-worst city for traffic congestion in the United States and the 22nd-worst globally. On the bright side, this is a slight improvement from 2023’s ranking as the 18th-worst in the world.
The worst cities for traffic are Istanbul, with 105 hours lost, followed by New York City and Chicago at 102 hours each.
All those hours in the car add up financially, too. The INRIX study estimates the cost of lost time and wasted fuel adds up to $1,100 per person in DC, compared to $771 nationally.
The study also noted that telecommuting dropped last year by about 8 percent in the U.S. Along with the push to return to office came more trips into and out of cities daily. In DC, there was a 6 percent increase in the number of vehicles taking trips into the city.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
