Traffic On 5 Chicago Roads Is Among The Worst In The Nation: Study

By Kate Shepherd in News on Aug 26, 2015 3:54PM

Chicago drivers spent an average of 61 extra hours on the roads last year because of gridlock, construction zones and collisions. There's no doubt that Chicago traffic is bad, and five of its roadways are amongst the most congested in the country, according to a new study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

What are the worst roads for traffic in Chicago? Different stretches of the Kennedy and Dan Ryan Expressways (I-90/94) and parts of the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) were ranked among the 20 worst roads nationwide.

The Kennedy/Dan Ryan westbound from 35th Street to the Edens junction is the 4th worst road nationally, especially at its peak rush 4 p.m. on Fridays. The eastbound stretch of the expressway from Montrose Ave. to Ruble St. was ranked 7th worst.

And coming in at #14 nationally is the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) eastbound starting at the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and extending to the Kennedy at the Edens (I-94) merge.

The traffic costs time and money. The study estimates that commuters who drove mainly during rush hours in 2014 spent an extra $1,445 on gas.

The good news is that the increase in traffic is a result of the economic rebound from the Great Recession, according to the Tribune. More traffic for more jobs doesn't sound like the best trade-off, but we'll take it.