Report: Honolulu takes No. 10 spot for worst traffic in US

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Although traffic congestion continues to plague Honolulu roadways on a daily basis, a new report released Tuesday says the city has moved down the list since two years ago.

Honolulu is now ranked No. 10 for the most hours wasted in traffic in 2015 versus No. 2 in 2013, according to data from INRIX Inc., an analytics company that specializes in transportation. The report, which analyzed and compared traffic congestion in 100 major metropolitan areas worldwide, revealed that drivers in Honolulu waste approximately 49 hours a year stuck in traffic as opposed to 60 hours two years ago.

The U.S. city that topped the list was Los Angeles with 81 hours, followed by Washington, D.C. with 75 hours. Meanwhile, on a global scale, London ranked absolute worst, with 101 hours of delay per commuter.

The reason behind the congestion? INRIX cites continued economic and population growth, higher employment rates and declining gas prices. Therefore, cities that topped the list have better economic conditions. So although Hawaii moved down a few spots, it doesn't necessarily mean that traffic is improving, INRIX said.

"It may look like a bit of an anomaly … but that has the effect of bringing it down a bit," said Chris Handley, vice president of product management and analytics at INRIX, adding that other cities may have experienced greater economic growth than Honolulu.

When it comes to the worst corridors, the stretch from Kaua Street to the H-1 Freeway – 3.88 miles -- is one of the worst in Honolulu, where drivers spend approximately 10 minutes. Other corridors that made the list: Aolele Street to Moanalua Road, the Middle Street merge to South Vineyard Boulevard and Ward Avenue; Paiwa Street to Moanalua Road; and Koko Head Avenue to the Pali Highway.

Findings in this report were drawn from traffic speed data collected on more than 1.3 million miles of urban streets and highways as well as performance data from the Federal Highway Administration.

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