AUSTIN, Texas — In 2020, Interstate 35 through Austin was the most congested road for truckers in all of Texas, costing more than 600,000 hours in lost time and $118 million in economic losses.
This is according to a new study from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which releases an annual congestion report of Texas highways.
The study notes that “calendar year 2020 was not a normal year — the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily changed travel in Texas as it did everywhere. Still, many of the most congested road sections remained near the top of the list, even as congestion dropped across the state.”
In Fort Worth, I-35, also known as the “North Freeway,” came in second on the list, up from sixth in 2019.
Five of the top 10 most congested roadways in Texas were in Houston, including Interstate 69.
In total, truckers were delayed 15.3 million hours in traffic backups across Texas, wasting 24.7 million gallons of fuel and costing the industry $797 million in lost time and fuel costs in 2020.
The year 2020 is the second year that Austin’s I-35 has been named the top congested spot in Texas.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
