most congested hwy in u.s.
 

what do you consider to be the most congested highway in the united states? now, since highways are quite long and extensive, im obviously referring to a short stretch of highway in an urban area, say about a 5 mile stretch or so.

ive been told that some of the worst urban highway stretches are in washington d.c., anyone know of any city with worse traffic congestion than d.c.?

dan ryan in chicago is especially bad these days with the construction wiping out half the lanes

Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston

Interstate 405 thru West Los Angeles at just about anytime. It took us 60 minutes to go 18 miles and this was a Saturday evening at about 6:30PM. Most people call it the "parking lot." Attempts to add a lane just got approved but by the time they add it, it will be time for another.

Another vote for the 405 in LA

Haven't been to LA, but for my experience, the Dan Ryan. Takes about an hour to go 3 miles sometimes.

I've driven the Dan Ryan, the 405, and the Washington Beltway. I'll vote for the latter just before it reaches to 95 South to Richmond -- in the half dozen or so times I've driven there, it's been a ten mile parking lot every time. The 405 and the Dan Ryan have, ON OCCASION, been less crowded.

The highway from Alpharetta to Atlanta is insane at rush hours.

In LA 10 is always a problem

However with the construction on the Dan Ryan I understand it is a contender for the worst in the country

I also have driven the Dan Ryan, 405, the Beltway, & for the first time this summer I-93 into Boston. I just stay away from the Dan Ryan while the current construction is going on, there are ways around it that take more miles but less time. & for the beltway, I must have hit it at the right times over the years because it was do-able compared to the others. I-93 had a lot of traffic but moved fairly well compared to the others. But the 405, especially just west of LAX, it didn't matter what day, what time, it was horrible. That is one I will stay away from as much as I can. My vote goes to the 405 near LAX.

I'm pretty sure that some traffic engineers did a statistical analysis a few years ago and determined that the San Diego Freeway (I-405) in the LA basin was the most congested arterial in the country, measured in terms of numbers of vehicles per day as a percentage of design capacity. I know it <i>is</i> the busiest highway in terms of vehicles per day, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

I-75 in Atlanta ranked second.

I 95 and the Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County CT between Bridgeport and Greenwich.

It has taken me 2+ hours to go 27 miles!!

In Bergen County NJ----Route 4 heading to the Geo Washngton Bridge!

Haven't been on the Dan Ryan in a while but sounds like it still sucks. DC beltway, 405, anything in North Jersey can all be equally horrible.

Haven't been to Houston in a few years, but I hated it back then.

I-10/Katy Freeway in Houston - just took me an hour to go 14 miles! Rain and construction are not a good combination. :(

Another vote for the 405 anywhere along the west side of LA. Yesterday I was on it for a brief stretch before getting on the 10 east. It definitely looked like that parking lot. Cars just weren't moving as far south as I could see. And this was after 7pm. Thank goodness I got off that freeway!!

I don't usually remember route numbers that I drive (navigate for my husband) when we are away, so the names mentioned here mean nothing to me. I know that we have been in some dozzie jams in Connecticutt along I-95 and a couple in Boston. The one I am familiar with because I live in the area, is the Washington Beltway as mentioned before where it joins I-95 going south to Richmond, also known as the 'Springfield Interchange' or the 'Mixing Bowl.'

There has been construction in this area (I live on the exact opposite side of town) since at least the turn of the century trying to work out the kinks in this doondoggle. It was declared complete just a few weeks ago. I am curious to know if anyone who has previous experience with it has driven it since that completion and if they noticed a difference. For $676 M, I certainly hope so!

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