Boston Traffic Drops to Fourth Worst in U.S., Costs Drivers $1,400 Each Year
Boston drivers now deal with the fourth-worst traffic jams in the U.S. and rank 12th worldwide. The INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard reveals motorists spent 79 hours stuck in traffic in 2024.
The impact on wallets is significant. Each Boston-area driver lost $1,414 sitting in traffic last year – down from 2023’s 88-hour mess that cost $1,543 per person.
I-93 southbound stands as the nation’s second-most congested road. During rush hour, afternoon drivers waste an incredible 109 extra hours yearly inching between the Zakim Bridge and the Braintree split.
“While the U.S. is still behind pre-2020 levels of traffic, a pullback of remote and hybrid work models brought a large jump in downtown trips, which is a good sign for metropolitan economies,” said Bob Pishue transportation analyst at INRIX in a press release.
Downtown traffic speeds increased slightly from 10 to 13 mph in 2024. Plus, 8,000 more people started biking to work since 2022.
The national situation looks rough. U.S. drivers lost a full work week – 43 hours – stuck in traffic in 2024, costing the country $74 billion.
New York City took the top spot for worst traffic, both nationally and worldwide, with drivers trapped for 101 hours in 2023. Starting June 2024, Manhattan will become the first U.S. city to charge congestion fees, asking $15 to enter certain zones.
Boston’s traffic jumped 14% between 2022 and 2023. Yet it remains just barely – 1% below – pre-pandemic levels from 2019.
