Watch dramatic video of a van engulfed in flames at airport
A vehicle caught fire at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. No injuries were reported, according to the airport.
Atlanta commuters are spending days in traffic every year, once again surpassing pre-pandemic levels, a congestion report found.
Drivers in the city spend an average of 87 hours sitting in traffic, totaling about 3.6 days, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s 2025 Urban Mobility Report.
This is up from an average of 84 hours spent in traffic the year prior, and nine hours more than 2019.
Traffic peaks on freeways in evenings
Atlanta ranks ninth overall among the top 101 urban areas in the U.S. for commuter delay caused by traffic, and ranks seventh overall for total delayed time, totaling about 261,228,000 hours in 2024.
This means the city has about 6 hours of congestion each day, with peak times in the evenings, particular on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
About 40% of the traffic is limited to freeways during peak times, but smaller streets account for another 29% of traffic during peak hours and 16% of traffic in off times, according to the report.
Same distance, longer times
The research group found that in 2024 a trip that would normally take 20 minutes in Atlanta would take up to 26 minutes with normal traffic, could take up to 28 minutes during peak times, and would require commuters to add another 20 minutes to their planned travel times to account for anticipated congestion.
Sitting in traffic costs commuters an average of $2,222 per year, courtesy of lost productive time and the amount of fuel used, according to the report. Commuters wasted nearly 20 gallons of fuel each year sitting in traffic.
This ranks sixth in the country among large urban areas.
Which cities rank higher?
Los Angeles ranks #1 for most time wasted in traffic, averaging 137 hours in 2024 for commuters or about 5.7 days.
New York is ranked second for overall hours spent in traffic, about 893 million, and has an average of 99 hours a year for commuters, or 4.1 days.
Chicago, Miami and Houston also rank ahead of Atlanta for total hours spent sitting in traffic.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
