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The pandemic ushered in a substantial shift in the American workforce, with a significant surge in remote work. Many of those who continue to work from home harbor reluctance to return to the office, and one major driving force behind this sentiment is the desire to bid farewell to the daily commute.
Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that the average American's daily commute consumes approximately 27 minutes. Over the span of a week, this tally accumulates to about four hours and 30 minutes, ultimately culminating in over 230 hours in a single year for the typical full-time employee.
Commute times, however, are not solely a function of distance. They are also heavily influenced by road congestion. Rush hour gridlock can dramatically inflate travel times, leading to elevated fuel consumption and travel-related expenses. This phenomenon is a harsh reality for those employed in densely-populated urban areas.
Traffic data and analytics firm INRIX has scrutinized traffic patterns, helping 24/7 Wall St. identify the city in each state with the most excruciating traffic conditions. The rankings hinge on the average number of hours commuters lost due to traffic congestion throughout 2022.
Nearly all cities on this list witnessed an uptick in the average number of hours commuters spent navigating traffic in 2022 compared to the previous year. This can be attributed to the easing of pandemic-related restrictions and the return of more employees to traditional office settings. In almost all cases, traffic delays intensified from 2021 to 2022, ranging from a 3% increase to a staggering 380%.
In Kentucky, the city of Lexington has the worst traffic. Here are important statistics to prepare for or to avoid getting caught in it:
- Average time lost to traffic delays in 2022 is 22 hours per commuter
- Overall national ranking is tied – 63rd worst of 280 U.S. cities considered
- Change in traffic delays from 2021 is +27%
- Average commute time in city is 21 minutes (State average is 24 minutes)
- Commuters who drive or carpool to work are 140,129; 92.6% of commuters