Traffic jams: Return to office, online deliveries push cities to the brink

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Traffic jams are draining the U.S. economy. Americans are spending an average of 43 hours in gridlock, leading to a $74 billion loss in 2024. Major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are seeing significant commute times.
The return of office workers and the rise of online shopping deliveries are exacerbating traffic congestion.
Meanwhile, increased foot traffic is boosting local businesses as office workers stop for coffee or lunch during their commutes.

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As CEOs push employees to return to the office, the combination of more workers on the road and the continued surge in online shopping deliveries is clogging U.S. roadways. Global data shows traffic is increasing, and infrastructure is struggling to keep up. As of 2024, some U.S. cities are now ranked among the worst in the world for traffic congestion.

Traffic costs the nation billions of dollars per year

Data from INRIX, a transportation analytics company, shows that traffic congestion cost the U.S. economy $74 billion in 2024. Americans spend an average of 43 hours stuck in traffic, equivalent to a full work week. Cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are among the places with the worst traffic.

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However, it’s not just office workers –– e-commerce and package deliveries add to the gridlock.

“Those additional trucks, those additional warehouses, all of that also had a big impact on roads,” said Brittney Kohler, the legislative director of transportation and infrastructure at the National League of Cities.

Kohler explained the return of workers to offices, combined with the growing number of trucks delivering goods, is creating a ripple effect in nearly every U.S. city. As major companies like Amazon, AT&T, JPMorgan, General Motors and Tesla eliminate remote work, congestion is only expected to rise.

She said these challenges highlight the urgent need for significant infrastructure investment to meet the growing demand. “If companies really want to bring people back to work, we also really need to invest in the transportation management that we need.”

Urgent need for infrastructure upgrades

Experts have long warned about the state of America’s infrastructure. In 2021, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated the cost to repair highways, bridges and airports could reach nearly $13 trillion by 2039. To address this backlog, former President Joe Biden signed the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill to invest in public transportation and road safety. The Department of Transportation is now working with states to begin tackling these overdue projects. However, the funding runs out in 2026.

While the surge in traffic is a headache for many, some business owners welcome the office worker return. With more people commuting to corporate offices, foot traffic is returning to downtown areas. Additionally, local businesses are starting to see a boost as people stop for coffee breaks or lunch.

Tags: amazon, Chicago, Department of Transportation, E-commerce, General Motors, Infrastructure, Joe Biden, JPMorgan, Los Angeles, New York City, Remote work, shopping, Tesla, Traffic safety

[Lauren Taylor]

YOU’VE SEEN THE HEADLINES: CEOS DEMANDING WORKERS RETURN TO THE OFFICE–AND THAT COMBINED WITH ONLINE SHOPPING DELIVERIES ARE CLOGGING AMERICAN ROADWAYS.

GLOBAL DATA SHOWS TRAFFIC IS SURGING AND INFRASTRUCTURE IS STRAINED.

2024’S TRAFFIC SCOREGUARD PUTS 10 U-S CITIES AS SOME OF THE WORST IN THE WORLD–

NEW YORK CITY, CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES SCORED THE HIGHEST IN HOURS LOST BY COMMUTERS.

INRIX DATA SHOWS IN 2024, AMERICANS SPENT AN AVERAGE OF 43 HOURS STUCK IN TRAFFIC JAMS … THE EQUIVALENT OF A FULL WORK WEEK.

WITH NUMBERS SOARING BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, COSTING THE NATION $74 BILLION IN 2024 DUE TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION.

ITS NOT JUST MORE OFFICE WORKERS ON THE ROAD, BUT ALSO MORE PEOPLE CLICKING ‘ORDER NOW’ FROM HOME.

FROM THE MOMENT A COMPANY SHIPS A PACKAGE TO WHEN IT REACHES THE CUSTOMER, EVERY MILE ADDS TO CONGESTION.

(“those additional trucks, those additional warehouses, all of that also had a big impact on roads.” )

INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERT BRITTNEY (koh-ler) KOHLER SAYS WHEN YOU ADD IN WORKERS RETURNING TO THE OFFICE, IT CREATES A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT ALMOST EVERY CITY IS FEELING—AND IT’S A TRAFFIC JAM EVERYONE’S STUCK IN.

(“if companies really want to bring people back to work. We also really need to invest in the transportation management that we need.”)

TAKE AT&T ANNOUNCING ITS RETURN TO OFFICE POLICY FOR EXAMPLE, REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO WORK FIVE DAYS A WEEK IN PERSON–BRINGING MORE TRAFFIC IN CITIES LIKE DALLAS, ATLANTA, LOS ANGELES AND ST LOUIS

RIGHT BEHIND THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS GIANT IS J-P MORGAN, GENERAL MOTORS AND TESLA, ALL COMPANIES ELIMINATING REMOTE WORK.

KOHLER SAYS IT’S NOT JUST PRIVATE COMPANIES, IT’S A NATIONAL RETURN TO OFFICE PUSH WITH TRUMP’S RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER.

(“With the return to office and the Federal workers returning to office across the country. They’re not just in Washington, DC. They’re actually all across the country in different cities.”)

BUT PERHAPS NO ONE IS FEELING IT MORE THAN SEATTLE.

AMAZON EMPLOYEES ADDED TO MORNING CONGESTION AND TRAVEL TIMES AFTER THE COMPANY REQUIRED A FULL RETURN TO THE OFFICE THIS YEAR.

TENS OF THOUSANDS HELPED JAM COMMUTE TIMES UP BY TWENTY PERCENT WHEN COMPARED TO 2019–CLUTTERING THE FRIDAY MORNING RUSH TO WORK.

KOHLER SAYS INCREASED CONGESTION AND TRAFFIC HIGHLIGHT THE URGENT NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES—THE PRESSURE IS ON TO REBUILD TO KEEP CITIES MOVING

(“The backlog of projects in this country is over trillions of dollars.”)

IN 2021, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS WARNED AMERICA’S INFRASTRUCTURE WAS OVERDUE FOR REPAIR, ESTIMATING THE COST TO REACH NEARLY $13 TRILLION BY 2039 FOR HIGHWAYS, BRIDGES, RAILS, AND AIRPORTS.

THAT SAME YEAR, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED THE $1.2 TRILLION BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW TO BOOST INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND ROAD SAFETY.

NOW, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS PARTNERING WITH STATES TO TACKLE THE NATIONWIDE BACKLOG

WHILE A HEADACHE FOR MOST, BUSINESS OWNERS WELCOME THE ABUNDANCE OF CARS.

EXPERTS SAY RETURN TO OFFICE ORDERS BRING FOOT TRAFFIC BACK TO DOWNTOWN CENTERS AS CORPORATE OFFICES FILL UP AGAIN, AND PEOPLE NEED A COFFEE BREAK OR STOP FOR LUNCH.