Sitting in 64 Hours of Traffic Per Year Is the Average for Los Angeles Residents

Angelenos spent an average of 64 hours waiting in traffic last year, up five hours from 2012, according an annual traffic scorecard released today.

On the INRIX National Traffic Scorecard, Los Angeles ranked as most congested city, with traffic increasing 8.5 percent, followed by Honolulu, where traffic was up 18 percent, and San Francisco, where traffic was up 13 percent.

Austin, Texas ranked fourth, with traffic up 9 percent, and New York City was fifth, with traffic up 5 percent, according to INRIX.

In general, traffic is getting worse -- in part because of the improving economy. In 2013, 61 cities had traffic increases, compared to just six in 2012. And while the gross domestic product grew at 1.9 percent last year, traffic grew by about 6 percent, according to INRIX.

Rounding out the top 10 most-congested cities were Bridgeport, Conn., where traffic was up 9 percent; San Jose, where traffic was up 10 percent; Seattle, where traffic was up 7 percent; Boston, where traffic was up 22 percent; and Washington, D.C., where traffic fell 1 percent.

—City News Service