ATRI Names Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks

The American Transportation Research Institute has released its annual list of the most clogged bottlenecks for trucks in America.

The 2020 Top Truck Bottleneck List calculates the level of truck-involved congestion at 300 locations on the national highway system. Based on truck GPS data from over 1 million heavy-duty trucks, the research uses customized software applications and analysis methods, along with terabytes of data from trucking operations, to create a congestion impact ranking for each location.

For 2020, the intersection of I-95 and SR 4 in Fort Lee, New Jersey, has once again taken the top spot on the list, which also includes, in descending order:

• Atlanta, Georgia: I-285 at I-85 (North)
• Nashville, Tennessee: I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East)
• Houston, Texas: I-45 at I-69/US 59
• Atlanta, Georgia: I-75 at I-285 (North)
• Chicago, Illinois: I-290 at I-90/I-94
• Atlanta, Georgia: I-20 at I-285 (West)
• Cincinnati, Ohio: I-71 at I-75
• Los Angeles, California: SR 60 at SR 57
• Los Angeles, California: I-710 at I-105

"ATRI's bottleneck analysis is an important tool for TDOT as we work to maximize the safety and efficiency of our transportation system, and ensure we are making the smartest investments possible," said Tennessee Department of Transportation Assistant Bureau Chief of Freight and Logistics Dan Pallme.  "The additional capacity we are providing as part of the ongoing I-440 Reconstruction Project should improve the safety and reliability of this important corridor, which we know is critical to freight movement."

ATRI's analysis applied data from 2019 and found that the number of locations experiencing significant congestion – with average daily speeds of 45 mph or less – has increased 92% in the last five years, outpacing the 10% growth in traffic congestion for that same time period.

"This report should sound the alarm for policymakers that the cost of doing nothing is too high and provide a roadmap of where to target investments to really solve our nation's mounting infrastructure crisis," said American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear.

For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, go to ATRI's website at TruckingResearch.org.