Study Ranks Miami Among the Most Congested in the World – NBC 6 South Florida

If you feel like traffic in South Florida has only gotten worse by the day, you might be right.

According to a new study by INRIX, Inc., a transportation data and analytics company in Kirkland, Washington, the Magic City is among the worst cities in the world for traffic congestion.

The specialized research company carried out a global study on the traffic on the roads of the main cities of the world and Miami ranked 9th with the worst traffic globally and 5th in the United States.

According to the INRIX study, Miami had one of the biggest jumps in the ranking of the cities most affected by traffic and went from 32nd place in 2021 to 9th in 2022.

Miami residents lost up to 105 hours in traffic last year. This figure refers to the total hours lost in congestion during peak traffic hours, compared to the time spent in less busy conditions to cover the same trips. The average speed in Downtown Miami decreased to 15 mph, from the 19 mph it averaged in 2021.

Top 10 Cities With Worst Traffic in the World:

1. London UK, 156 hours lost
2. Chicago IL USA, 155 hours lost
3. Paris FRA, 138
4. Boston MA USA, 134 hours lost
5. New York City NY USA, 117 hours lost
6. Bogota COL, 122 hours lost
7. Toronto ON CAN, 118 hours lost
8. Philadelphia PA USA, hours lost
9. Miami FL USA, 105 hours lost
10. Palermo ITA, 121 hours lost

This amount of time stuck in traffic is not only sanity lost, but money too.

The INRIX study estimates that congestion caused the average Miami driver lost a total of $1,773 in 2022, which represents a total cost to the city of $4.5 billion.

In the national top 25, some of the largest increases in traffic delay happened in Miami and Las Vegas.

Cities Most Affected by Traffic in the United States:

1. Chicago IL, 155 hours lost in traffic
2. Boston MA, 134 hours lost in traffic
3. New York City NY, 117 hours lost in traffic
4. Philadelphia PA, 114 hours lost in traffic
5. Miami FL, 105 hours lost in traffic
6. Los Angeles CA, 95 hours lost in traffic
7. San Francisco CA, 97 hours lost in traffic
8. Washington DC, 83 hours lost in traffic
9. Houston TX, 74 hours lost in traffic
10. Atlanta GA, 74 hours lost in traffic

The average driver in the U.S. lost 51 hours in traffic, 15 hours more than the 36 hours lost in 2021.

And according to the INRIX, the average cost per driver in the U.S. was $869, and that figure does not include increases in tolls or fuel prices.

The report points out that the decline in COVID-19 cases in 2022 and the return to work for many employees are two of the factors that caused the shift towards greater congestion in the cities analyzed.

For Miami specifically, migration from other states and an increase in visitors looking to vacation in the Magic City could also affect the shift.