Honkin' mad

Where Austin's awful traffic landed on list of the country's 25 worst

Shocker: Austin made a list of cities with the worst traffic in 2023.

Courtesy photo

Few things are more frustrating for Austin drivers than sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. You're late, you're stuck, and you're wasting time and gas. It's no surprise that Texas' capital city just made a new list of cities with the worst traffic last year.

The average Austin driver lost 38 hours to traffic delays in 2023, according to Inrix's latest Global Traffic Scorecard. That's slightly down from the time tallied in 2022, and a little less than the national average of 42 hours lost.

While 42 hours is more than the average 40-hour workweek, it's a marked improvement from recent years, nationwide. It's 18 percent lower than the 51 hours lost on average in 2022 and less than half of the 99 hours lost before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Still, trends across the country after the pandemic continue to contribute to congestion. Remote work has led to a longer stretch of high-traffic hours instead of the usual pre-9 am and post-5 pm rush hour surges — and less predictable peaks at that.

"On any given day, everybody might be going into the office and no one is expecting it," David Schrank, a senior research scientist at Texas A&M Transportation Institute, told The Hill in June 2024. "What if next Monday everybody gets called in? Then boom — it's gridlock."

On top of that, truck-related congestion (as anyone driving across Texas on Interstate 35 knows) has increased with the continued rise of e-commerce and home delivery, with one truck equaling two to three cars on the road.

To see where congestion is the biggest problem nationwide, Stacker ranked the 25 cities in the U.S. with the most time lost per driver due to congestion, according to data from Inrix. Austin lands at No. 21, with San Antonio four spots behind it at No. 25, Dallas at No. 17, and Houston inside the top 10, at a miserable No. 8.

Stacker's analysis includes how much delays cost drivers based on median hourly wages in each metro area, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and comparisons to pre-COVID-19 pandemic hours lost, measured in 2019. Inrix calculated commute times by looking exclusively at the time it takes to get to and from major employment centers based on anonymized GPS data.

Downtown speed is the speed at which a commuter should expect to travel 1 mile into the city's downtown or central business area during peak morning hours, and the first quarter of 2024 versus the first quarter of 2023 metric is the change in travel times during those two periods.

Read on to find out how Austin compared with other cities in the U.S. and Texas, including a city that topped (yikes!) 100 hours lost on average per driver.

Several highways intersecting in the foreground with aerial view of a city in the background.

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25. San Antonio

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 35 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +17%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: +1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $607
- 2023 city-wide cost: $625 million
- Average downtown speed: 19 mph

An aerial view of a city by a river with a road running along its banks.

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

24. New Orleans

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 37 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +9%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -2%
- 2023 cost per driver: $641
- 2023 city-wide cost: $329 million
- Average downtown speed: 14 mph

A highway overpass with two sets of green road signs.

Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock

23. King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 53 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -18%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -5%
- 2023 cost per driver: $918
- 2023 city-wide cost: $9 million
- Average downtown speed: 22 mph

A highway with multiple lanes cuts through landscape with tall snowy mountaiuns in the distance.

Sean Xu // Shutterstock

22. Denver

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 37 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -11%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -4%
- 2023 cost per driver: $640
- 2023 city-wide cost: $831 million
- Average downtown speed: 14 mph

A busy city street with the building visible in the center background, with a distinctive dome. Various modern skyscrapers and high-rise buildings in the city skyline.The street is filled with vehicular traffic, with cars densely packed and people walking along the sidewalks.

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

21. Austin

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 38 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -14%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -3%
- 2023 cost per driver: $663
- 2023 city-wide cost: $632 million
- Average downtown speed: 16 mph

An aerial view of a city with a large red brick building in the center.

arbsimages // Shutterstock

20. Stamford, Connecticut

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 41 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +12%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -8%
- 2023 cost per driver: $706
- 2023 city-wide cost: $265 million
- Average downtown speed: 13 mph

An aerial view of a city with a mix of modern and historic buildings. The city is surrounded by hills covered in greenery.

Hrach Hovhannisyan // Shutterstock

19. Portland, Oregon

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 39 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -8%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -2%
- 2023 cost per driver: $679
- 2023 city-wide cost: $665 million
- Average downtown speed: 15 mph

City skyline dominated by tall skyscrapers in the background. A wide, multi-lane highway cuts through the city, filled with traffic.

Theodore Trimmer // Shutterstock

18. Honolulu

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 42 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -3%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $739
- 2023 city-wide cost: $270 million
- Average downtown speed: 17 mph

City skyline is dominated by tall skyscrapers in the center, with a mix of shorter buildings and structures spreading out towards the edges of the image. A network of highways and roads crisscrossing the city.

travelview // Shutterstock

17. Dallas

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 38 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +12%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -3%
- 2023 cost per driver: $658
- 2023 city-wide cost: $2.2 billion
- Average downtown speed: 16 mph

An aerial view of a complex highway interchange. Multiple levels of roads crisscross each other, with cars and trucks traveling in various directions.

Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

16. Charlotte, North Carolina

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 41 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -10%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -2%
- 2023 cost per driver: $711
- 2023 city-wide cost: $794 million
- Average downtown speed: 17 mph

Aerial view of a city with a river flowing through it. The city has a mix of modern and historic buildings, with skyscrapers dominating the skyline. There is a large bridge crossing the river, with cars and trucks driving on it.

4kclips // Shutterstock

15. Pittsburgh

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 43 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -14%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -9%
- 2023 cost per driver: $749
- 2023 city-wide cost: $724 million
- Average downtown speed: 20 mph

Aerial view of a city with a mix of modern and historic buildings, with skyscrapers dominating the skyline. A large body of water is visible in the foreground with several boats and ships docked.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

14. Baltimore

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 44 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -24%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -7%
- 2023 cost per driver: $762
- 2023 city-wide cost: $905 million
- Average downtown speed: 13 mph

A steep, narrow street lined with colorful houses climbs uphill with cars parked along the road and cable car tracks running through the street and bridge spanning the bay,

seand67 // Shutterstock

13. San Francisco

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 45 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -6%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -6%
- 2023 cost per driver: $787
- 2023 city-wide cost: $1.3 billion
- Average downtown speed: 12 mph

An aerial view of city with river flowing through the city. Several bridges cross the river.

Marcus E Jones // Shutterstock

12. Nashville, Tennessee

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 56 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -8%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: +1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $985
- 2023 city-wide cost: $852 million
- Average downtown speed: 20 mph

Colorful modern and historic buildings with pastel hues line the streets with traffic.

Nina Henry // Shutterstock

11. San Juan, Puerto Rico

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 57 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +14%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -2%
- 2023 cost per driver: $994
- 2023 city-wide cost: $802 million
- Average downtown speed: 20 mph

City skyline dominated by a cluster of tall skyscrapers in the center, with a mix of shorter buildings and structures spreading out towards the edges of the image. A network of roads crisscross the city.

meunierd // Shutterstock

10. Seattle

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 58 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -11%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,010
- 2023 city-wide cost: $1.6 billion
- Average downtown speed: 17 mph

City skyline dominated by modern, gklass skyscrapers of varying heights. A multi-lane highway with heavy traffic with cars and trucks in the foreground.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

9. Atlanta

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 61 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -3%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -4%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,066
- 2023 city-wide cost: $2.6 billion
- Average downtown speed: 16 mph

City skyline is dominated by a cluster of tall skyscrapers in the center, with a mix of shorter buildings and structures spreading out towards the edges of the image.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

8. Houston

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 62 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +1%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,082
- 2023 city-wide cost: $3.2 billion
- Average downtown speed: 17 mph

City skyline with a mix of shorter buildings and structures spreading out towards the edges of the image. A network of highways and roads can be seen crisscrossing the city.

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

7. Washington DC

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 63 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -9%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -4%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,095
- 2023 city-wide cost: $2.7 billion
- Average downtown speed: 11 mph

A large, red-brick building with traditional, ornate details. A busy street in the foreground.

f11photo // Shutterstock

6. Philadelphia

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 69 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +2%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -9%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,209
- 2023 city-wide cost: $2.9 billion
- Average downtown speed: 11 mph

Tall, modern skyscrapers dominate the skyline. A large body of blue water stretches across the right side of the image.

Bilanol // Shutterstock

5. Miami

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 70 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +18%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -1%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,219
- 2023 city-wide cost: $3.1 billion
- Average downtown speed: 14 mph

City skyline dominated by a cluster of tall skyscrapers in the center, with a mix of shorter buildings and structures spreading out towards the edges of the image with a bridge spanning the river.

f11photo // Shutterstock

4. Boston

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 88 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -1%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -10%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,543
- 2023 city-wide cost: $2.9 billion
- Average downtown speed: 10 mph

A multi-lane highway with heavy traffic. The road is divided by a concrete barrier, and there are several overpasses visible in the background. The sky is clear blue, and there are mountains in the distance.

JW.photography31 // Shutterstock

3. Los Angeles

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 89 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: -4%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -5%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,545
- 2023 city-wide cost: $8.3 billion
- Average downtown speed: 19 mph

A multi-lane road lined with trees and streetlights. The road is filled with cars, creating a traffic jam. In the background, there are several tall buildings.

Dennis MacDonald // Shutterstock

2. Chicago

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 96 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +18%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -8%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,672
- 2023 city-wide cost: $6.1 billion
- Average downtown speed: 11 mph

Skyline dominated by several skyscrapers of varying heights with glass facades.

Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB // Shutterstock

1. New York City

- Time lost per driver due to congestion, 2023: 101 hours
--- Change from pre-COVID: +11%
--- Change from Q1 2023 to Q1 2024: -11%
- 2023 cost per driver: $1,762
- 2023 city-wide cost: $9.1 billion
- Average downtown speed: 11 mph

Story by Ali Hickerson. Editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Ania Antecka.

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Red Light

San Antonio leads Texas on ending horse-drawn carriage rides by 2030

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Horses will no longer pull carriages on the streets of downtown San Antonio.

San Antonio has pulled off something that the rest of Texas has yet to do, but it didn't come without some contentious conversations. City Council has unanimously voted (with one abstention) to phase out the use of horse-drawn carriages over the next five years. That means by January 1, 2030, there will be none on the streets at all; instead, there will be electric carriages.

These plans have been in the making since 2022 — if not always at the same level of intensity — when District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran wrote up some concerns about the horses' wellbeing. A special session at the end of October 2024 hinted to San Antonians that the end for this practice was neigh — sorry, nigh — and the final vote was made on December 12. In addition to accepting the plan, it extended its timeframe by two years.

The initial proposal included worries about the horses' exposure to traffic and pollution, as well how their presence might exacerbate those issues for the environment at large by slowing traffic. It also raised concerns about the effects of standing or walking on hard surfaces for too long, or spending time in extreme weather.

At the December 12 meeting, San Antonians gave impassioned speeches about animal welfare — both to call attention to the need for better conditions and to defend the reputations and jobs of current horse drivers — but it wasn't the first time the council heard from the public about the issue.

In a prior city survey, 50,476 respondents weighed in. Of those respondents, 51.98 percent said they liked the idea to "Transition horse-drawn carriages to electric carriages and pedicabs and ban horse drawn carriages completely." There were alternative solutions listed, but respondents were less drawn to them.

A cultural divide emerged in the data and continued in the December meeting: some people avoided the carriages because they worried about the treatment of the horses, while others enjoyed them because of their historical echoes and living legacy. Many speakers in favor of the plan used this to form their argument, raising questions about history versus progress.

More tangible objections to the plan hinged on the businesses — specifically five companies — and jobs that would be lost, which was the main factor behind extending the adjustment period.

Discussions about the particulars of the electric vehicles are still to come, as confirmed in the discussion near the end of the meeting. Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez addressed concerns about what would happen to the horses, mentioning the Brady Hunter Foundation as a future partner in finding them rescue homes.

Some council members also brought up rhetorical questions about animal exploitation by groups like Sea World, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, military and police forces, and even various groups in the Fiesta parade, although these did not come with a formal motion to pick the issues up.

This decision could have a ripple effect on other Texas cities. Dallas has recently considered a similar ban, but it appears to have stalled; Austin's attempts at a ban have been unsuccessful, but according to the Austin-American Statesman, only one operator is permitted to bring horses downtown. She declines to do so because the long hours are unfair to her and the horses. Houston does have horse-drawn carriages, and there seems to be little conversation about banning them.

Cities like Chicago and Salt Lake City have led the charge in the United States with some of the most prominent successful bans. Other cities around the world with bans include Brussels and Guadalajara, which both switched to electric models. Bans that have been around for years, like Guadalajara's and Prague's, still aren't out of the woods — people are still pushing back on the decision, so it sounds like San Antonio still has much work cut out for it.

animals downtown civic issues

Honkin' mad

Where Austin's awful traffic landed on list of the country's 25 worst

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25. San Antonio

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

24. New Orleans

Khairil Azhar Junos // Shutterstock

23. King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

Sean Xu // Shutterstock

22. Denver

GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock

21. Austin

arbsimages // Shutterstock

20. Stamford, Connecticut

Hrach Hovhannisyan // Shutterstock

19. Portland, Oregon

Theodore Trimmer // Shutterstock

18. Honolulu

travelview // Shutterstock

17. Dallas

Grindstone Media Group // Shutterstock

16. Charlotte, North Carolina

4kclips // Shutterstock

15. Pittsburgh

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

14. Baltimore

seand67 // Shutterstock

13. San Francisco

Marcus E Jones // Shutterstock

12. Nashville, Tennessee

Nina Henry // Shutterstock

11. San Juan, Puerto Rico

meunierd // Shutterstock

10. Seattle

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

9. Atlanta

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

8. Houston

Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

7. Washington DC

f11photo // Shutterstock

6. Philadelphia

Bilanol // Shutterstock

5. Miami

f11photo // Shutterstock

4. Boston

JW.photography31 // Shutterstock

3. Los Angeles

Dennis MacDonald // Shutterstock

2. Chicago

Volodymyr TVERDOKHLIB // Shutterstock

1. New York City

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