By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media
Lucky us! Of the 25 worst traffic hotspots in the nation, four of them are in the New York Metropolitan Area, and two of them are hellish sections of highway you may drive on every day.
This list was compiled by INRIX Roadway Analytics, which identified more than 800,000 traffic jams at 108,000 hotspots in North American cities between March and April.
Drivers here could have it worse. Their commuting counterparts in Los Angeles have 10 of the 25 worst traffic spots in the nation.
Locations were designated as a hotspot based on traffic jams that frequently occur at the same locations on a highway. Next, the research company calculated the average time of a traffic jam, and the economic cost in wasted time, fuel and exhaust emissions.
While nine cities had hotspots that made the list, INRIX said traffic hotspots exist in every city its researchers studied. Here are the worst of the worst:
Wikimedia Commons
25. New York: Route 95 south/Cross Bronx Expressway at Alexander Hamilton Bridge.
The 158 traffic jams that occurred on this gateway to and from the George Washington Bridge in two months meant that for an average of 155 minutes, traffic was loafing at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit on this almost four miles of highway. The cost of lost time, wasted fuel and other economic factors is estimated to cost $716 million over the next 10 years.
Los Angeles International Airport
24. Los Angeles: I-405 north, Exit 70 to I-105.
Also known as the northern end of the San Diego freeway, this 12 miles includes the exit where these two interstates meet, which is also the exit for Los Angeles International Airport. There were 349 traffic jams reported in two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 22 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. Those delays are estimated to waste $716 million in time and gas over the next decade.
AP photo
23. Los Angeles: I-10 West, from I-110 to Exit 19C
Also known as the Santa Monica Freeway, the report said that a busy 3.79 mile section of I-110 that meets State Route 110 in the heart of Downtown L.A. had 218 traffic jams over two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 112 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. A decade worth of those back-ups is estimated to cost $720 million.
Tom Boyle | Getty Images
22. Chicago: I-90 east, exit 50B to I-294
This 6.5 mile piece of interstate highway also known as the Kennedy Expressway runs between downtown Chicago and the Tri-State tollway, which is also the exit for O’Hare Airport. That accounts for the 304 traffic delays over two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 48 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost in time and gas over the next 10 years is estimated to roll up to $744 million.
Al Seib | AP
21. Los Angeles: I-5, exit 146A to exit 126B.
This little over six miles of the Santa Ana Freeway saw 218 back-ups during two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 86 painful minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The estimated cost in lost time and fuel in 10 years is calculated to be $754 million.
Ted S. Warren | AP
20. Seattle, Washington: I- 5 at Pike Street to 128th Street/exit 186.
Drivers who use this 6.14 mile section of interstate into downtown Seattle put up with 406 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 39 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The estimated cost for spent fuel and wasted time over 10 year is $756 million.
Richard Vogel | AP
19. Los Angeles: I-10 east at I-5/ I-10 exit 135C to Santa Monica.
Get a junction of two interstates outside downtown L.A. and that’s going to spell traffic and this one is no exception. This nine-mile piece of highway saw 422 instances of mind-numbing traffic. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 26 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The bigger cost is the estimated $771 million in fuel burned up and hours that tick away over a decade.
NYC Parks
18. New York: Belt Parkway East at Cross Bay Boulevard to I- 278.
This outer borough route is a gateway to Broad Channel, the Rockaway's beaches and Kennedy Airport. At a little over seven miles, this section of highway had 122 traffic problems. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 115 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The price tag over 10 years for the waste caused by this delay is an estimated $781 million.
Mike Stewart | AP
17. Atlanta: I-75 to I-75/85.
This almost nine mile section of interstate links to Atlanta’s infamous “Downtown Connector” where Interstates 75 and 85 run together, through the center of Atlanta, which is a recipe for traffic delays. This piece of highway had 187 traffic tie-ups. As far as delays, that meant for an average of one hour, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of those delays is estimated to be $811 million over 10 years.
Mike Stewart | AP
16. Atlanta: I-285 south at I-20 to Route 23
What the Beltway is to Washington D.C, Route 285 is to Atlanta. This looping interstate highway that connects three major interstates, 75, 85 and 20 is know to locals as “the perimeter." Drivers might want to call this 10-plus mile part of the loop the perimeter of pain for the 143 traffic jams they suffered through in two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 74 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The real pain will be paid over 10-years when the cost of time and gas wasted is estimated to be $854 million.
Jae C. Hong | AP
15. Los Angeles: I-5 at I-10 to CA 170
This section of Interstate 5 links Interstate 10 and the state Route 170, also known as the Hollywood Freeway. If you want to go to a Dodger game, you’ll deal with this section of “the five.” That explains why this 7.4-mile stretch has 201 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 76 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. Roll up those delays over a decade and the waste is estimated to cost $880 million.
California DOT
14. San Francisco: I-80 west at Emeryville to State Route 4.
This section of interstate links the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with state Route 4 north of Oakland. In that almost five mile stretch, Interstates 80 and 580 parallel each other through Berkeley, which resulted in 504 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 53 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of that traffic turmoil over 10-years is estimated to be $904 million.
Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
13. New York/New Jersey: I-95 North/Cross Bronx Expressway to Route 46.
This familiar 3.35 mile section of I-95 encompasses the George Washington Bridge, which anyone who drives it would say is synonymous with the word traffic. In two months, there were 243 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for an average of two and a half hours, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of wasted time and fuel from that traffic over 10 years is estimated at $981.
Michael Ciaglo | AP
12. Houston, Texas: I-45 exit 46A to exit 63.
There are a lot of traffic generators packed in this five mile section of interstate highway, such as Minute Maid Field, Rice University, the University of Texas, Interstate 10 and 610, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport. That explains why there were 340 traffic jams in two months. As far as delays, that meant for an average of 75 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The estimated cost in lost time and burned fuel over 10 years is $992 million.
Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
11. New York: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, Exit 28A to West Shore Expressway Staten Island
This 4.87 mile section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, also known as I-278, between the Brooklyn Bridge and the West Shore Expressway in Staten Island had 462 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for a little over an hour, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost in lost time and gas over 10 years is estimated to be $1 billion.
Lenny Ignelzi | AP
10. San Diego: I-15 north, Gopher Canyon Road to I- 215
This almost 14 mile section of I-15, also known as the Escondido Freeway, goes from Escondido to the beginning of Interstate 215. The 54 traffic jams recorded over two month. As far as delays, that meant for almost three hours, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of wasted time and gas over the next decade is estimated to be $1 billion.
Alex Brandon | AP
9. Washington D.C.: I-495 Beltway, Route 201 Berwyn Heights to Exit 4A Oxon Hill, Maryland.
This 5.08-mile section of the Beltway that loops north of Washington D.C. had 608 traffic back-ups. In terms of delays, for 39 minutes, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The estimated cost in lost time and expended fuel is estimated to be $1.1 billion over the next decade.
Damian Dovarganes | AP
8. Los Angeles: Route 101 South, exit 13B to exit 34
This 4.5 mille piece of the Ventura Freeway between Studio City, outside Hollywood, and Saratoga Hills saw 241 traffic jams. For more than two hours, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of those delays, the wasted gas and pollution is estimated to be $1.1 billion over the 10 years.
Tom Saunders | Virginia Department of Transportation.
7. Washington D.C.: I-95 north, State Route 608 to exit 143B, Garrisonville Virginia to State Route 608 Massaponax Virginia
This 4.5 mile section of I-95 south of Washington D.C., saw a whopping 938 traffic jams in two months. For 33 minutes traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The lost time and wasted fuel is estimated to cost $1.1 billion over the next 10 years.
Reed Saxon | AP
6. Los Angeles: I-405 north, exit 53 Marvista to 38B Gardena
This 5.6 mile section of I-405 provides a link between I-10 and I-110, and had 680 traffic tie-ups in two months. In terms of delays, for 40 minutes traffic in that area was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of that spent time and gas is estimated to cost $1.2 billion over the next 10 years.
Kichiro Sato | AP
5. Chicago: I-90 west exit 81A to 56B
This 8.5 mile piece of highway runs parallel to I-94, has a toll express lanes and it turns into the Chicago Skyway toll road, which could explain why it had 238 traffic jams. For almost two hours, traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of the delays and fuel is estimated to cost $1.3 billion over the next 10 years.
Mark J. Terrill | AP
4. Los Angeles: U.S Route 101 at exit 3B
The 4.2 mile section from where Route 170 merges with the Hollywood Freeway to where it crosses Route 110 had only 108 traffic jams in two months, In terms of delays, that meant for an unbelievable almost six hours, traffic was crawling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of that pain and spent fuel is estimated to be $1.3 billion over the next decade.
Kevork Djansezian | Getty Images
3. Los Angeles: I-405 south, exit 22 to exit 45.
This almost five miles of southbound interstate goes from the interchange with I-105, crosses I-110 and 710, and finally merges with I-605 in Long Beach, which could explain the massive amount of traffic jams it has. It could almost be called the five miles of hell with 1,403 traffic jams in two months. For an average of 24 minutes traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The calculated cost of time and fuel wasted over the next 10 years is $1.3 billion.
Robyn Beck | AFP | Getty Images
2. Los Angeles: I-405 north, exit 43 to exit 21.
Not to be outdone for the title of most hellish traffic jams is the northbound sister of the third-worst traffic jams. The reverse trip on the 405 had a torturous 2,032 traffic jams in two months making it literally the slow ride to hell. For 23 minutes traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The cost of wasted time and fuel is estimated to be $1.9 billion over the next 10 years.
Saul Loeb | AFP Photo
1. Washington D.C. I-95 south, exit 133A to the Fairfax County Parkway, Virginia
This almost 6.5 mile section of southbound I-95 runs from south of the 495 Beltway to U.S Route 17 outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia, and was ranked the worst traffic hotspot in the nation with 1,394 traffic jams. As far as delays, that meant for 33 minutes traffic was traveling at least 65 percent slower than the posted speed limit. The estimated cost in lost time and wasted gas is $2.3 billion over the next 10 years, which is the highest in the country.
Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
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