*Washington D.C. now holds the title of the worst city in America for traffic, according to newly released rankings from ConsumerAffairs.
The BBC reports that the capital city has overtaken Los Angeles, long infamous for its gridlock, in the annual analysis based on congestion and commute times across 50 of the largest metro areas in the United States.
Drivers in the D.C. area face an average commute of 33.4 minutes each day, the highest in the country. The report also found weekday traffic congestion in the region lasts an average of six hours and 35 minutes—second only to Los Angeles—adding up to a staggering 71 days per year spent in traffic.
Despite Los Angeles still having the most daily congestion time—nearly eight hours—it has a slightly shorter average commute, clocking in at just over 30 minutes.
President Donald Trump’s directive for federal employees to return to the office following extended work-from-home periods during the pandemic is one factor pushing Washington to the top of the traffic charts.
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Miami, San Francisco, and Atlanta joined D.C. and L.A. in the top five worst cities for traffic. At the opposite end, cities with the least congestion include Rochester, Salt Lake City, and Cleveland.
“The cities with the worst traffic in America are among the cities with the highest economic output,” ConsumerAffairs noted. Urban planning expert Michael Manville of UCLA explained, “Congestion is oftentimes a sign of economic prosperity,” pointing out that thriving regions tend to attract and retain residents who largely depend on driving to work.
Manville added that some of the least congested cities were formerly major industrial centers and now offer ample road space due to reduced population pressures.
