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A recent report from the location technology company TomTom ranks Miami as the second most congested city in the United States, trailing only behind Los Angeles.
The information, based on urban mobility data collected during 2025, reveals that traffic levels have reached alarming figures, directly impacting the quality of life, lost time, and transportation costs for millions of residents.
Traffic congestion in figures
On an average day in 2025, traffic in the Miami metropolitan area increased travel time by nearly 50% compared to smooth traffic conditions.
This percentage represents an increase of nearly 20 points compared to the data from 2019.
During peak hours, the records were as follows:
In the morning, congestion reached 74%, with an average speed of 20.1 mph (32.3 km/h).
In the afternoon, congestion rose to 89%, with an average speed of 17.7 mph (28.5 km/h).
On the busiest day of the year, traffic congestion reached 114%, with drivers taking 15 minutes to cover less than 4 miles (6.4 km).
These data position Miami as one of the cities with the highest time loss due to traffic congestion in the country.
Total time behind the wheel: almost two weeks a year
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average resident of the Miami metropolitan area spent about 36 minutes commuting to work in 2025.
Although the Census does not record the return trip, data from TomTom indicates that this journey is 11% slower, raising the estimated average for the return to 40 minutes.
This amounts to:
-76 minutes of daily driving (round trip).
-380 minutes per week, considering a work week of five days.
-19,700 minutes annually, which represents approximately 13.7 days or almost two full weeks each year spent inside a car.
Economic and social cost of traffic
Miami also stands out for the high cost of transportation for its residents, being the city with the highest transportation expenses among all major metropolitan areas in the country.
This fact becomes even more relevant in the context of a population that has been pushed to live in areas increasingly distant from the urban core due to rising housing prices.
Urban growth, instead of focusing on height, has driven horizontal expansion.
As a result, many people reside in areas like Homestead, Broward, or even Palm Beach County, where public transport coverage is limited or nonexistent.
Structural causes of congestion
For Cathy Dos Santos, director of Transit Alliance, an organization that promotes better mobility alternatives, the root of the problem lies in the urban development model. “
"It's a matter of urban planning," he stated.
Miami is a low-density city with a large land area, dominated by single-family homes.
This creates a structural dependency on automobiles.
“It’s really difficult to provide good public transportation options in those areas,” said Dos Santos. “Basically, we force everyone to drive.”
Moreover, a significant portion of public funding is allocated to highway expansion instead of improving public transportation. This creates a phenomenon known as induced demand: increasing road capacity stimulates more traffic.
"By billions of dollars," Dos Santos noted, "we ended up, in just a couple of years, with exactly the same problem."
Suggested reforms: land use and parking
Among the most urgent proposals is the reform of parking requirements.
Currently, local zoning codes require between 1.5 and 2 parking spaces for each housing unit, even though only 53% of households in the Miami metropolitan area have more than one car, according to the Census.
Transit Alliance estimates that these regulations create half a million unnecessary parking spaces just in Miami-Dade.
Reducing these requirements would gradually increase residential density and, consequently, the viability of public transportation.
"This does not mean that, automatically, there will be less parking," clarified Dos Santos.
"Let's allow the private market to tell us how much parking is needed."
Active transportation: pedestrians and bicycles
Pete Costello, account manager at TomTom, suggests broadening the focus beyond roads: “Miami should go beyond lane expansion” to tackle its traffic crisis.
Both Costello and Dos Santos agree that improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists can be a quick, effective, and low-cost solution. “We’re not talking about billions of dollars, but rather millions,” explained Dos Santos.
Walking or biking has become competitive in terms of time and cost compared to cars for short trips, but the lack of safe infrastructure remains a barrier.
Protected bike lanes, safe crossings, and pedestrian-friendly streets are still scarce in many parts of the county.
These types of investments, in addition to being easier to operate and maintain, could significantly reduce congestion if applied strategically.
The national context: increasing congestion
The 15th Annual TomTom Traffic Index shows an upward trend in urban congestion in the U.S.:
The country ranked 54th in the world with an average congestion level of 19%.
Despite the low national average, congestion within cities increased by 4 percentage points compared to 2024.
Other notable cities:
Los Angeles was the most congested city in the U.S. in 2025, with an average congestion level of nearly 60%.
New York was the slowest city, with an average loss of 120 hours annually per 6-mile (9.7 km) journey.
Honolulu and San Francisco also exhibited high levels of congestion.
Atlanta was the city with the highest year-over-year increase.
An important observation is that congestion is no longer concentrated exclusively during traditional peak hours:
Morning traffic extends beyond 9 a.m.
Evening traffic starts earlier and lasts longer, from mid-afternoon until late at night.
Tuesday to Thursday are now the most congested days, reflecting the new hybrid work patterns.
Public policies: Congestion and climate pricing
In New York, congestion pricing showed positive results in its first year. Congestion decreased by 4 percentage points in key corridors, performance improved on bridges, and fewer accidents and injuries were reported within the tolling zone.
On the other hand, the report highlights that extreme weather has become an increasing factor.
Currently, it accounts for 15% of non-recurring congestion nationwide. Events such as floods in Texas or California caused prolonged detours and reductions in speed that lasted for months.
Conclusions
The data collected by TomTom reveals that Miami is facing a structural crisis in urban mobility. The causes are linked to a dispersed urban model, a lack of investment in public transportation, and policies that encourage car usage.
The proposed solutions include:
-Regulatory reforms on parking.
-Promotion of urban densification near transportation hubs.
-Investment in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
-Reduction of car dependency through more accessible public transport.
The report confirms that expanding roads does not solve congestion in the long term. The city needs to redesign its priorities to avoid getting stuck in a pattern of unsustainable expansion.
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