Getting around major US cities has become a test of patience that seems to get worse every season. Instead of showing signs of easing, traffic jams have intensified to the point of becoming a daily challenge for both drivers and local authorities.

The latest data from the INRIX Global Traffic Report 2025 not only confirms this perception: it amplifies it with numbers that are capturing the attention of the entire world.

According to the study, congestion in the country reached levels not seen for several years, forcing millions of people to lose more time than they could have imagined. The increase in the number of vehicles, the lack of effective solutions, and an infrastructure that can no longer keep up with the current pace create a scenario that worries experts and citizens alike.

An alarming average: 49 hours stuck in traffic per year

The report indicates that in 2025, Americans spent 49 hours stuck in traffic. This is an increase of more than six hours compared to 2024, a trend that reflects how urban mobility is on the verge of collapse.

Cities like Chicago and New York topped the national list, becoming hotspots that show how far major cities are from achieving efficient traffic flow. Globally, four US cities ranked among the ten most congested on the planet, a fact that demonstrates the magnitude of the problem.

Chicago even earned the dishonorable second place worldwide, only behind Istanbul, Turkey. New York and Philadelphia came in close behind, registering more than 100 hours of congestion per year, while Los Angeles rounded out the global top 10 with 87 hours stuck on its streets and freeways. But lost time isn't the only impact: congestion has a monumental economic cost. By 2025,Traffic represented an impact of over $85 billion for the country, an 11% increase compared to the previous year. For the average citizen, this translates to an estimated individual expense of $894, an amount that summarizes the direct effect of spending hours stuck in traffic.

Cities that are getting worse: increases that raise eyebrows

The report also reveals which cities experienced the largest increases compared to the previous year.

Philadelphia and Baltimore showed increases of 31%, figures that surprised analysts due to the speed at which traffic jams grew in these metropolitan areas.

Tampa, meanwhile, showed an increase of 21%, solidifying its position as another region where mobility is strained by a volume of vehicles that far exceeds the available road capacity.

These increases are also reflected in the average speed of urban centers. Chicago is, once again, the most extreme case: barely 9 mph on average in its downtown area. Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, and Stamford follow with speeds of 10 mph, showing urban centers that are practically at a standstill during peak hours.

It's not that people are driving more: there are more cars than ever

Although commutes seem longer and more frequent, the report clarifies that the root of the problem is different. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) will reach 3.3 trillion in 2025, but this doesn't mean that each driver is covering greater distances. The real reason is the increase in the number of vehicles on the road.

Access to flexible credit, the desire to own a car, and the lack of truly efficient mass transit alternatives have fueled the growth of the vehicle fleet.

Per capita personal mobility vehicles (PMVs) have indeed decreased, but they are being distributed among more vehicles. Projections indicate that this growth will continue between 0.6% and 0.7% annually until 2053 if there are no significant changes in urban mobility. Attempts to alleviate traffic: proposals that still fall short. Various initiatives seek to reduce congestion, but so far none has managed to address the problem on the necessary scale. The expansion of mass public transportation systems appears to be the most urgent measure, especially for cities that lack extensive and well-connected networks. Another proposal is to incentivize the adoption of compact electric vehicles, although the market—paradoxically—has driven increasingly larger models. This may help reduce emissions, but it does not solve traffic congestion. A path with greater potential is the introduction of autonomous cars, which could reduce accidents and stabilize traffic flow.However, their massive presence on the streets is still far from materializing, and their impact will only be seen in the long term.

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