Atlanta is home to over six million people. Of those six million people, over three-quarters drive to and from work each day, either alone or in a carpool. That means that millions of drivers take to Atlanta's complex freeway system each day, leading to frequent delays and traffic jams.
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A narrow and tricky construction zone means a higher likelihood for wrecks. Mix in the fact that so many unfamiliar out-of-towners and commercial trucks funnel through that area and you have the recipe for plenty of mishaps and delays.
According to the INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, Atlanta ranks among the top 10 most congested cities in the United States. On average, commuters in Atlanta spend around 70 hours per year stuck in traffic. The city's highways, including I-285, I-75, and I-85, are often gridlocked during peak travel times.
But hey, at least we climbed a spot from the cellar of 2022Clever's study of the best and worst U.S. cities for commuters in 2023 pegs Atlanta as a bottom-five finisher in terms of hellacious, expensive, time-consuming commutes—one spot worse than, gulp, Los Angeles.
Chicago ranked as the U.S. city with the highest traffic delays in 2022. On a global scale, the Illinois city ranked No. 2, after London in the United Kingdom. In Chicago, drivers lost 155 hours in 2022.
Tom Moreland Interchange, more commonly referred to as “Spaghetti Junction,” sees nearly 2 million motorists each day. In fact, it's so busy that it showed up on yet another list of the 10 busiest roads in the U.S.
Getting Around AtlantaThe best way to get around Atlanta is by MARTA, Atlanta's public transportation system. MARTA operates both bus and rail lines throughout the city and into nearby suburbs.
New Jersey is the worst state to drive in, as it has the highest road congestion nationwide and the second-worst road quality, a new study by MoneyGeek finds.