Houston, We Have A Freeway Congestion Problem

HOUSTON, TX -- On any given day, Houstonians will gripe and complain about the traffic congestion on freeways, and a recent study indicates that the bickering is completely justified.

According to the American Transportation Research Institute, 14 of the top 100 congested roadways are found in Texas, and Houston leads the way with 10.

It’s a rather dubious list that isn’t worn by Houstonians as a badge of honor, but one that unites drivers in the Bayou City with a common goal of avoiding the traffic, or finding a way around it at all cost.

The information is based on GPS data obtained from more than 600,000 heavy freight trucks, and is associated with the Federal Highway Administration’s Freight Performance Measures initiative.

The 14 bottleneck freeways in Texas are:

• No. 8 – I-45 at US 59/I-69 in Houston
• No. 11 – I-10 at I-45 in Houston
• No. 12 – I-45 at I-30 in Dallas
• No. 13 – I-10 at US 59/I-69 in Houston
• No. 22 – I-610 at US 290 in Houston
• No. 25 – I-45 at I-610 North in Houston
• No. 28 – I-35 in Austin
• No. 33 – I-10 at I-610 West in Houston
• No. 49 – I-35W at I-30 in Ft. Worth
• No. 59 – I-610 at US 59/I-69 West in Houston
• No. 60 – US 75 at I-635 in Dallas
• No. 65 – I-45 at Sam Houston Tollway North in Houston
• No. 82 – I-45 at I-610 South in Houston
• No. 88 – I-10 at I-610 East in Houston

So where does it all come from?

According to the survey, the congestion issues stem from heavy truck traffic along a number of key interstate arteries, particularly Interstate 10, a key east-west corridor that connects the east and west coast, and Interstate 45, which begins in Galveston and continues north through Houston toward Dallas.

"Texas is a key freight generator and a critical link in the nation's supply chain," Texas Trucking Association President John D. Esparza said in a prepared statement. "ATRI's analysis allows us to target state and federal resources to keep trucks, and the economy, moving."

While some of the truck traffic may be just passing through, the Port of Houston and the Port of Freeport, which accept trade goods passing through the Panama Canal and makes Texas a key freight generator, and an obvious contributor to the bottleneck problem.
"Trucks move 70% of the nation's goods, so knowing where our highway system is most congested can lead to better decisions about what highways and bridges need improvement," said American Trucking Associations President Chris Spear, "and it is our hope that ATRI's research will guide states toward improving these pain points in the supply chain so our industry can continue to safely and efficiently moving the nation's goods."
ATRI is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization that engages in critical research relating to freight transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.
For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, click here.

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