While it may not be shocking to see another headline stating that DC traffic is some of the worst in the nation!
In fact, just earlier this year, it was determined to be the metropolitan area with the second-worst traffic in the country.
That being said, it appears something we all already thought was true is officially being backed up by data – DC area traffic is officially worse than pre-pandemic levels!
How much worse has DC traffic gotten since the pandemic?
Well, according to research conducted by StreetLight Data, traffic across the country the average daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita increased by 12.3% this past spring compared to the spring of 2019.
This means that, since the pandemic, even more people driving on the roads across America.
In terms of the DC area specifically, the research confirmed that the VMT has worsened by 0.4% over the same period and congestion has increased by 1.1%.
So while the traffic around the DC area thankfully hasn’t worsened as much as the national average, the study concluded that even minor changes can have a major impact on the flow of traffic.
Where does the DC area’s traffic compare to other cities?
Well, fortunately, DC area traffic is far from the worst when it comes to how things have evolved since the pandemic.
The research confirmed that DC ranked #88 when it came to the worst change in VMT levels and #71 when it came to the worst change in congestion.
In its current state as of May 2024, DC traffic ranks at #26 in the country for VMT per capita at 22 and congestion is measured to be the #12 worst in the country, with a congestion factor of 0.235.
What cities had the worst change in traffic since the pandemic?
The worst change in average VMT, ranking dead last in this metric, was the traffic around McAllen, Texas, which saw a 68% increase in vehicle miles traveled this past May compared to May of 2019.
Regarding the worst change in congestion, that ‘crown’ goes to Boise City, Idaho, which saw a 3% leap in congestion compared to pre-pandemic levels, dwarfing the average change in congestion in the US over the same period, which was measured to be just a 1.1% increase.