The report, released at the end of November, showed the continued lingering of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on traffic levels, with little change in rankings between 2020 and 2021. However, David Schrank, TTI’s lead researcher on the study, warned traffic levels will return to pre-pandemic levels as the state's population continues to boom.
“Traffic congestion isn’t just a big-city problem, and that problem is almost sure to get worse as our population surges by almost 20 million in the next 25 years,” Schrank said in a press release. “With that kind of growth, Texas needs to use every possible means to keep people and goods moving. We need to add capacity, operate the system efficiently, and give people options for how to travel.”
The rankings take several factors into account, including delay per mile of travel—or how much longer it takes to travel on a gridlocked road than to make the same trip in uncongested conditions—and the cost of congestion, including lost time and wasted fuel.
The stretch of Loop 610 between I-69 and the Katy Freeway maintained its spot at the top of the list after briefly being beaten by I-35 in Austin in the 2020 rankings. The Texas Department of Transportation has a project underway to add new, wider connector ramps at the intersection.
Here are the most congested roadways in the Bellaire, Meyerland and West University areas. Find the full list here.
1. Loop 610 from Katy Freeway to I-69
Overall rank: 1
Delay per mile: 1,119,318 hours
Annual cost of congestion: $97.8 million
2. I-69 from Loop 610 to Hwy. 288
Overall rank: 3
Delay per mile: 855,375 hours
Cost of congestion: $113.4 million
3. I-69 from Loop 610 to Beltway 8
Overall rank: 24
Delay per mile: 330,418 hours
Cost of congestion: $63.2 million
4. Loop 610 from I-69 to Hwy. 288
Overall rank: 34
Delay per mile: 236,271 hours
Cost of congestion: $45.8 million
5. Hwy. 90 from Hwy. 288 to Loop 610
Overall rank: 61
Delay per mile: 158,510 hours
Cost of congestion: $14.2 million
6. Bellaire Boulevard from Beltway 8 to Loop 610
Overall rank: 94
Delay per mile: 116,464 hours
Cost of congestion: $16.9 million
7. Holcombe Boulevard from Loop 610 to Hwy. 288
Overall rank: 179
Delay per mile: 76,845 hours
Cost of congestion: $10.1 million
8. Main Street from Blodgett Street to Hwy. 90
Overall rank: 193
Delay per mile: 73,991 hours
Cost of congestion: $6.4 million
9. South Post Oak Road from Loop 610 to FM 2234
Overall rank: 218
Delay per mile: 67,610 hours
Cost of congestion: $12 million
10. Fountain View Drive/Renwick Drive from San Felipe Street to Bissonnet Street
Overall rank: 220
Delay per mile: 67,382 hours
Cost of congestion: $5.6 million
11. Fondren Road from Pinefield Lane to the Fort Bend Parkway Toll Road
Overall rank: 320
Delay per mile: 53,741 hours
Cost of congestion: $14 million
12. Hillcroft Avenue from I-69 to Hwy. 90
Overall rank: 341
Delay per mile: 51,215 hours
Cost of congestion: $7.3 million
13. Weslayan Street/Stella Link Road from Inwood Drive to Hwy. 90
Overall rank: 377
Delay per mile: 47,286 hours
Cost of congestion: $7.2 million
14. Beechnut Boulevard from Beltway 8 to Loop 610
Overall rank: 382
Delay per mile: 47,043 hours
Cost of congestion: $7.2 million
15. Greenbriar Drive from Shepherd Drive to South Main Street
Overall rank: 514
Delay per mile: 38,471 hours
Cost of congestion: $2.3 million
