Chicago traffic is worst in North America, costing drivers an extra $300 in gas each year: study

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's not your imagination, especially if you're stuck in it. Traffic. It's bad. In fact, a new study says Chicago traffic congestion is the worst in the country - and drivers have taken notice.

"Traffic is very heavy right now," commuter Quentin Kimbrough said. "No likes being on the bus."

Syed Hussein commutes downtown from Bloomingdale.

"Today was one of those days," Hussein said. "It took an hour and a half. It was really congested."

Whether you're coming into the city or doing the reverse commute to the suburbs, you're likely to spend a lot of time sitting in the car - even more than before the pandemic.

"Chicago saw a large increase in the morning, but also saw a large increase in the afternoon commute," said Bob Pishue, a transportation specialist at Inrix. "That's what propelled Chicago above the other cities."

Pishue conducted the study and found Chicago traffic is the most congested in North America, followed by Boston and New York. The congestion adds about 155 hours of delay a year, which is up by 7% compared to before the pandemic, when few drivers were on the roads. And all that extra time is expensive, costing Chicago drivers nearly $300 more in gas last year.

"If you're spending extended amounts of time idling at a red light or slow moving traffic, you're not getting the best fuel efficiency," said AAA's Nick Jarmusz.

Perhaps no one knows Chicago traffic as well as Eyewitness news Traffic Anchor Roz Varon.

"There are days when it's so busy, the traffic is so bad, I'm just trying to keep up," Varon said. "I've never been this busy in my life doing traffic, honestly."