Portland, Ore. 9. Los Angeles was the worst rush-hour traffic in the United States and the worst for commuting overall because there were few mass transit options. San Diego ranked 19th in the study in terms of time stuck in traffic, with the average driver spending 37 hours a year delayed in traffic, and sixth in overall traffic congestion. The data was compiled by 11 state highway departments. Research engineer Tim Lomax, a co-author of the Texas Transportation Institute study, said motorists seem to be willing to endure traffic jams in exchange for the freedom that comes with owning a car.
Gas is still relatively cheap.
It's free to park in a lot of places. Owning a car means you can go where you want to go pretty much when you want to go. The places where commuters suffer the most are the ones with the fewest transportation choices. Lomax, said new highways, buses and trains are not keeping up with new housing and new businesses. Virtually all of the things we're trying to do to improve the mobility are not growing as fast as the cause of the problem.