DC region 5th most congested city in US, study suggests

It’s no secret, traffic around the D.C. region can be a nightmare.

A new study by INRIX found that the District ranked as the fifth most congested city in the United States, with the average commuter in the metro area losing 124 hours due to congestion.

Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather

The study went on to say, congestion alone costs D.C. $4.1 billion, an average of $1,835 per driver.

It’s an 11 percent reduction from 155 hours of sitting in traffic back in 2019, which cost drivers just over $2,000, ranking D.C as second-worst in the nation.

Boston took the top spot for the second consecutive year.

D.C. outpaced the nationwide average where most people are spending 99 hours sitting in traffic. 

Congestion appears to be stabilizing in some of the country’s most congested metros, according to the study. INRIX included public transportation, cycling metrics, ride-hailing, rising or falling gas prices in the 2019 study.

Some DMV drivers told FOX 5 that even if the numbers suggest there is some improvement, to them, it feels worst all the time.

“I certainly can’t feel the improvement yet because I think it takes a whole lot more than anything that could be achieved in just one year," said Alex Bronzo. “I hope there is a lot more in the works because we are not where we need to be yet.”

“I used to live in Atlanta in the 90’s and the one thing we have in common with them is a beltway system,” said Ernest Baynard. “And it just wasn’t a good idea, because when the city grows outside of that belt, things can get really tight.”

“I’m not in a big rush and I kind of appreciate it because I missed it a little bit,” said Johnny Davis who loved from Pittsburgh. “I missed the area, let me just say it that way, not necessarily the traffic.”

D.C. ranks 21 out of 25 globally for the most congested city compared to being at no.19 in 2019.