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.
The city of Houston, Harris County and the TxDOT also recently reached an agreement on a controversial project along I-45. A portion of that highway that runs through the Heights ranked No. 22 on this list.
Here are the most congested roadways in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose 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. Loop 610 from I-10 to I-45
Overall rank: 8
Delay per mile: 635,452 hours
Cost of congestion: $86 million
4. Katy Freeway from Loop 610 to I-45
Overall rank: 13
Delay per mile: 481,429 hours
Cost of congestion: $71.4 million
5. I-45 from Loop 610 to I-10
Overall rank: 22
Delay per mile: 337,883 hours
Cost of congestion: $25.9 million
6. Shepherd Drive from Katy Freeway to Rice Boulevard
Overall rank: 146
Delay per mile: 87,513 hours
Cost of congestion: $8.9 million
7. Allen Parkway/Kirby Drive from I-45 to I-69
Overall rank: 213
Delay per mile: 68,685 hours
Cost of congestion: $7.8 million
8. Westheimer Road/Elgin Street from Loop 610 to I-69
Overall rank: 263
Delay per mile: 61,008 hours
Cost of congestion: $8.3 million
9. Montrose Boulevard/Studewood Street from North Main Street to Main Street
Overall rank: 360
Delay per mile: 49,204 hours
Cost of congestion: $6.9 million
10. Brazos Street from Pease Street to Spur 527
Overall rank: 364
Delay per mile: 48,942 hours
Cost of congestion: $1.1 million
11. 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
12. Westpark Drive from Synott Road to Kirby Drive
Overall rank: 563
Delay per mile: 34,792 hours
Cost of congestion: $10.7 million
13. Durham Drive from Loop 610 to Dickson Street
Overall rank: 731
Delay per mile: 27,449 hours
Cost of congestion: $2.3 million
14. Richmond Avenue from Loop 610 to Main Street
Overall rank: 744
Delay per mile: 27,036 hours
Cost of congestion: $3.2 million
15. Heights Boulevard/Waugh Drive from 20th Street to Westheimer Road
Overall rank: 755
Delay per mile: 26,540 hours
Cost of congestion: $2.8 million
