Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Atlanta Tops ATRI's Bottleneck List Again

Atlanta’s Spaghetti Junction has again topped the American Transportation Research Institute’s Top Truck Bottleneck List, which tracks the 100 most congested sections of American roads for the trucking industry.

by Staff
January 25, 2017
Atlanta Tops ATRI's Bottleneck List Again

Atlanta's Spaghetti Junction and the surrounding congestion it causes were tracked by ATRI for its 2017 Top Truck Bottleneck List. Image via ATRI

2 min to read


Atlanta's Spaghetti Junction and the surrounding congestion it causes were tracked by ATRI for its 2017 Top Truck Bottleneck List. Image via ATRI

Atlanta’s Spaghetti Junction has again topped the American Transportation Research Institute’s Top Truck Bottleneck List, which tracks the 100 most congested sections of American roads for the trucking industry.

ATRI assesses terabytes of GPS data from more than 600,000 heavy-duty trucks over the course of a year to produce a congestion impact ranking for each location. That data is used to determine the level of truck-oriented congestion at 250 locations on the national highway system.

Ad Loading...

The full list of data available on ATRI’s website gives a comprehensive breakdown of each location, showing peak hours and areas of congestion on a map. The data also shows speeds at peak congestion compared with typical speeds without congestion. This breakdown of data can be used by fleets to avoid congestion when possible, either by using alternate routes or by traveling at off-peak times.

The data can also be a useful tool for determining needs in our infrastructure, allowing the government to pinpoint areas that need expansion or updating. With a long-term infrastructure bill likely to be a top priority for President Trump and Congress, information on problem areas can help with funneling funds where they are most useful.

The Chicago, Ill., interchange where Interstate 290 meets Interstate 90 and 94, has moved down a slot since last year. ATRI said in a media call that the city has initiated a large construction project in the area to address the problem, partly because it was included on the list.

Ad Loading...

ATRI was also quick to point out that increased congestion in the top two positions of Atlanta, Ga., and Fort Lee, N.J., were likely the cause of Chicago's drop to number three.

"With President Trump expected to press for significant long-term infrastructure spending, this ATRI analysis should be a key guide for deciding what projects are worthy of funding," said Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations. "Ensuring the safe and efficient movement of goods should be a national priority and this report draws attention to the places where our highway network needs improvement in order to meet that goal."

The Top 10 bottlenecks in the U.S. are:

  • I-285 at I-85 (North) in Atlanta, Ga.

  • I-95 at State Route 4 in Fort Lee, N.J.

  • I-290 at I-90/94 in Chicago, Ill.

  • I-65 at I-64/71 in Louisville, Ky.

  • I-71 at I-75 in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • SR 60 at SR 57 in Los Angeles, Calif.

  • SR 18 at SR 167 in Auburn, Wash.

  • I-45 at US 59 in Houston, Texas

  • I-75 at I-285 North in Atlanta, Ga.

  • I-5 at I-90 in Seattle, Wash.

For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, click here.

More Fleet Management

Red Kodiak-branded autonomous tractor with Charger-branded trailer backed up to warehouse
Fleet Management•October 30, 2026

Kodiak Lines Up Fleets for Driverless Trucking

An agreement for 75 trucks, a new Texas freight lane, and progress on safety validation move Kodiak closer to its planned driverless highway launch.

Read More →
Illustration with Star of David and EEOC logo
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 28, 2026

ITS Logistics Settles Religious Harassment Case

The Nevada-based logistics firm agreed to pay more than $396,000 to settle a religious harassment charge involving an employee's Jewish identity.

Read More →
Truck on divided interstate highway driving toward sunrise
Fleet Management•October 27, 2026

Your Trucks Are Busy. That Doesn’t Mean They’re Winning.

High utilization doesn’t always mean strong margins. Looking beyond the current load can help fleets make better dispatch decisions and get more value from each truck’s time.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ATA economist Bob Costello speaking beside a graph showing truckload operating costs rising as freight revenue per mile declined after 2022.
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•October 22, 2026

Why This Trucking Recovery Is Different

Freight demand remains sluggish, but rising costs and tougher enforcement have taken enough capacity out of the market to change the outlook for motor carriers.

Read More →
PS Coach tablet interface showing a driver’s coaching inbox, safety event video and coaching advice for a harsh-braking event.
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools

Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.

Read More →
Screen capture showing PrePass Intelligence data on tolls
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

PrePass Intelligence Mines Fleet Bypass, Toll and Safety Data

PrePass Intelligence helps fleets measure bypass savings, flag potential toll overcharges, and spot suspicious transactions by combining data from separate systems.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Computer screen showing examples of what fleets could ask Motive AI Agents to do
Fleet Management•by Staff•October 20, 2026

Motive Adds AI Agents for Fleet Operations

New tools automate follow-up on fleet data, from maintenance work orders to driver alerts, with two-way voice conversations planned for later this year.

Read More →
Graphic art with a heavy-duty tractor trailer and a work truck with the words "trivia lunch"
Fleet Management•by Lauren Fletcher•October 19, 2026

Can You Beat Our Trucking Trivia Challenge?

Test your truck knowledge with 19 trivia questions from Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange. Can you keep up with the fleet pros?

Read More →
Four horizontal and two vertical video screens show different aspects of BeyondTruck's new compatibility engine
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•October 19, 2026

BeyondTrucks Adds Rules Checks to Dispatch

New Compatibility Engine checks driver qualifications, equipment requirements and fleet policies before loads are dispatched.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Gloved hand fueling a truck beside a graphic listing ATRI’s top three trucking concerns for 2026: fuel prices, lawsuit abuse reform and CSA.
Fleet Management•by Deborah Lockridge•October 19, 2026

Diesel Prices Hijack Trucking’s Worry List

ATRI’s annual survey finds cautious optimism about freight, but diesel costs, litigation, and insurance continue to squeeze fleets. Drivers have different priorities on several issues.

Read More →