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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. roads are more clogged than ever now that the recession is behind us.
A report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute and INRIX Inc., which analyzes traffic data, says American motorists are stuck in traffic about 5 percent more than they were in 2007, the pre-recession peak.
Commuters in Washington, D.C., suffer the most, losing an average of 82 hours a year to rush-hour slowdowns. And the study says Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York come next on the list of urban areas with the longest delays.
Cities with fast-growing economies and the most job growth are the most plagued by traffic. Other factors: Urban populations are increasing and lower fuel prices are making driving less expensive, so more people are taking to city roads.
Rounding out the Top 10 worst commuting cities are San Jose, Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Houston and Riverside-San Bernardino.
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080-c-10-(Joan Lowy (LOH'- ee), AP correspondent)-"San Jose, California"-AP correspondent Joan Lowy reports commuters in the Nation's Capital suffer the worst traffic congestion. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *080 (08/26/15)££ 00:10 "San Jose, California"
082-c-17-(Joan Lowy (LOH'- ee), AP correspondent)-"across the country"-AP correspondent Joan Lowy reports traffic congestion exacts a toll in terms of real dollars and time lost. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *082 (08/26/15)££ 00:17 "across the country"
083-a-13-(Bill Eisele (EYES'-lee), senior research engineer with Texas A and M Transportation Institute , in AP interview Tuesday)-"is 78 hours"-Bill Eisele, who's the co-author of the traffic congestion report, says in 2014, commuters in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco spent the most hours driving to and from work. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *083 (08/26/15)££ 00:13 "is 78 hours"
085-a-15-(Bill Eisele (EYES'-lee), senior research engineer with Texas A and M Transportation Institute , in AP interview Tuesday)-"hours in 2020"-Bill Eisele, who's the co-author of the traffic congestion report, says traffic congestion is only projected to get worse unless there are major infrastucture changes. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *085 (08/26/15)££ 00:15 "hours in 2020"
079-c-15-(Joan Lowy (LOH'- ee), AP correspondent)-"in some measures"-AP correspondent Joan Lowy reports an analysis by the Texas A-and-M Transportation Institute and INRIX Inc. shows traffic congestion in the U.S. is as bad as it has ever been. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *079 (08/26/15)££ 00:15 "in some measures"
081-c-18-(Joan Lowy (LOH'- ee), AP correspondent)-"to rush hours"-AP correspondent Joan Lowy reports several factors are leading to the increased traffic congestion on U.S. roads. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *081 (08/26/15)££ 00:18 "to rush hours"
084-a-12-(Bill Eisele (EYES'-lee), senior research engineer with Texas A and M Transportation Institute , in AP interview Tuesday)-"succeed at both"-Bill Eisele, who's the co-author of the traffic congestion report, says an improving economy has created more traffic congestion. (26 Aug 2015)
<<CUT *084 (08/26/15)££ 00:12 "succeed at both"
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