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Chicago Tops U.S. Traffic List as Global Congestion Worsens in 2025

The annual INRIX scorecard measures commute delays using multi-year data through the third quarter of 2025.

Overview

  • INRIX ranks Chicago No. 1 in the U.S., estimating 112 hours lost per driver in 2025, up about 10% year over year, and local planners are weighing changes to O’Hare’s renovation timeline due to traffic impacts.
  • Istanbul leads worldwide with roughly 118 hours lost, with Chicago and Mexico City next in the global ranking.
  • Across the United States, drivers lost 4.7 billion hours to congestion in 2025, averaging 49 hours per driver and about $85 billion in lost time.
  • New York City dropped to second in the U.S. with delays flat from last year, and reporting credits the city’s new congestion pricing with helping restrain its ranking.
  • In Canada, Montreal is most congested at 63 hours lost, Toronto ranks 34th globally with 59 hours and a 3% improvement, and Vancouver drivers lost 46 hours with differing reports on its exact global position.