The Essentials

U.S. Cities with the Worst Traffic

Trying to plan your next trip also needs to include a look at local traffic conditions at your destination.

So which U.S. city has the slowest traffic? Most of you might pick Los Angeles — and yes, the traffic there is terrible, but it’s not the worst U.S. city.

According to the latest research, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia have slower traffic. The average New Yorker wastes 125 hours per year sitting in traffic compared to Los Angeles, where residents waste only 83 hours.

Even worse, the average driving speed during peak hours in Los Angeles is a disappointing 17 mph. But in New York, that drops to a fast crawl, just ten miles per hour. And now you know.