HOUSTON – If you commute in the Houston area, you probably don’t need TxDOT to tell you that traffic is a problem.
But what you might not know is exactly how bad it is. According to an updated list from TxDOT, 35 of Texas’ 100 most-congested roadway segments are located in Harris County alone.
TxDOT developed the new data with the help of the Texas Transportation Institute and Texas A&M University.
According to the study, the top 20 most-congested roadway segments in the state accounted for 44 percent of the estimated 95 million hours of traffic delays statewide in 2009.
And – lucky us – the first and second most-congested segments of roadway are right here in the Houston area.
Gonzalo Ricky Gomez knows all about it. A driver with FastTow, he spends every day in the gridlock.
"I’ve been doing this for seven years," Gomez said. "The worst-congested freeway will be 45."
He guessed correctly.
Topping off TxDOT’s list is I-45 North from Beltway 8 to 610 North. The second-worst traffic occurs on U.S. 59 South from 610 West to 288.
Gomez guessed that one, too.
Houston roadways take seven more of the top 20 spots after that.
"The challenge with the Houston area, of course, is just a very large population," TxDOT’s Chris Lippincott said.
TxDOT said efforts are under way to alleviate traffic in problem areas, but without adequate funding, construction projects to ease congestion are – in some cases – years away.
"So the challenge for the City of Houston and all of Harris County is not just gonna be to build more roads – it’s to find other solutions to the congestion issues they face," Lippincott said.
The new traffic data will be sent to Austin, to help legislators decide where to allocate the limited funds.
Until they find a solution, Gomez and people like him will have to keep trucking through the tangled traffic.
"It’s just the way it is," Gomez said.
This story was produced with the help and research of our news partner the Texas Tribune
Click here for a complete list of the 100 most-congested roadway segments in Texas.
