L.A. Still 'Most Congested'

In 2003, traffic delays cost US motorists a total of 3.7 billion hours of wasted time and 2.3 billion gallons of wasted fuel for a total cost of more than $63 billion.

Los Angeles remained the most congested city in the United States in 2003, with each motorist wasting close to 93 hours a year in rush hour traffic delays, according to a study released Monday.

The Texas Transportation Institute 's 2005 Urban Mobility Report found that in 2003 the time wasted by Los Angeles residents in traffic delays was 5 hours shorter than in 2002, but still the longest in the country.

Nationwide, traffic conditions got worse in 2003. Road congestion delayed travelers 79 million more hours and wasted 69 million more gallons of fuel in 2003 than in 2002.

In 2003, traffic delays cost US motorists a total of 3.7 billion hours of wasted time and 2.3 billion gallons of wasted fuel for a total cost of more than 63 billion US dollars, according to the report.

"Urban areas are not adding enough capacity, improving operations or managing demand well enough to keep congestion from growing," the report said.

--Xinhuanet