Actual gridlock in Washington costs D.C. commuters 82 hours, nearly $2,000 a year

Washington, D.C., has the worst traffic in America, per a new study

(Image credit: Wall Street Journal/YouTube)

published 2 September 2015

A recent study from Texas A&M University found that traffic got worse in 95 of America's 100 biggest cities between 2013 and 2014, thanks to the improving economy, and that the average U.S. commuter spends 42 hours a year stuck in traffic. If that seems like a lot — and it does — remember, that's the average; things are much worse in the Top 5 worst cities. In this video, The Wall Street Journal walks you through those five metro areas, three of which are in California, leading up to the worst U.S. city for traffic, Washington, D.C. Commuters in the D.C. area spend 82 hours a year in traffic, at an average annual cost of $1,834 per driver.

"Gridlock in the capital," deadpans narrator Catey Hill. "You don't say." You can watch her report below. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.