Just How Bad Is Interstate Congestion in Maryland?

Maryland’s interstate highways are clogged, and most residents in the state are trapped on those busy roads every day, giving us the dubious honor of second-most congested interstates in the country.

The new report by TRIP, a Washington, DC-based national transportation organization, says 75 percent of Maryland’s urban Interstate highways are congested during peak hours, the second-highest rate in the nation.

And the state’s Interstates also have the second-highest rate of daily vehicle travel per urban lane mile in the country at 18,425 vehicles.

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The report was issued as the U.S. marks the 60th anniversary of the interstate highway system this week. The organization says the country’s overwhelmed interstates face increasing congestion, unprecedented levels of travel – particularly by large trucks – and not enough money to make needed repairs and improvements.

In Maryland, 13 percent of Interstate lane miles are in poor or mediocre condition. Three percent of Interstate bridges are structurally deficient and an additional 18 percent are functionally obsolete, the organization says.

The only state with even worse congestion and more vehicles per mile packed onto its Interstates is California, where 85 percent of the Golden State’s urban Interstates are congested, says TRIP.

Coming in at No. 3 is New Jersey, followed by Rhode Island and Delaware.

“Drivers are frustrated with the condition of the nation’s transportation system,” said Jill Ingrassia, AAA’s managing director of government relations and traffic safety advocacy. “While a record 36 million travelers plan to hit the road for Independence Day weekend, nearly 70 percent are concerned that roads and bridges are not in great driving condition. AAA urges lawmakers to keep their eye on the ball to identify a sustainable funding source to maintain and improve our Interstate system for the future.”

Interstates carry one-quarter of all the nation’s traffic, and truck traffic on Interstates is growing at twice the rate of other vehicles.

Revisiting Maryland’s Worst Traffic Bottlenecks

In May the group released a ranking of the 30 biggest traffic bottlenecks in the state.

And the winner – or loser, depending on how you look at it -- for biggest bottleneck is I-495 inner loop at I-270 spur in the Bethesda area.

At No. 2 on the list is I95 outer loop at the Greenbelt exit in Prince George’s County, with I95 northbound at MD 100, exit 43 in the Hanover area, at No. 3.

»Maryland highway congestion, Patch file photo