HOUSTON – If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in Houston traffic, watching the minutes tick by as you inch forward, you’re not alone.
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) dropped its annual list of the most congested truck bottlenecks in the country, and—surprise, but not so surprising—Houston made the cut.
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According to the 2025 report, the I-45 and I-69/US 59 interchange is the third-worst freight bottleneck in the entire nation.
Not far behind, I-10 at I-45 also cracked the top 10, ranking at number nine.
If you’re a Houston commuter, this probably isn’t news—it’s just another day fighting behind the wheel.
Beyond the frustration of bumper-to-bumper traffic, congestion at these major intersections has serious consequences. According to ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster, delays caused by traffic are the equivalent of 436,000 truck drivers sitting idle for an entire year. That means more than just late deliveries—it’s wasted time, wasted fuel, and increased costs that trickle down to consumers.
“These metrics are getting worse,” Brewster said. “But the good news is, states don’t have to accept the status quo.”
The report, based on real-time freight truck GPS data, analyzed over 325 high-traffic locations nationwide. On average, rush hour truck speeds at the worst bottlenecks are just 29.7 MPH.
In other words, your morning commute might be slower than a steady bike ride.
Want to see the full list of the top 100 worst bottlenecks? Click here for the complete ATRI report.