Rush-hour traffic tie-ups are getting worse on Wisconsin freeways. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Travel Time and Reliability Report, drivers spent 12.4 million hours in congestion last year, at a cost of $387 million in fuel and lost time.
Travel times are twice as long during the busiest periods on nine of the 20 freeways in Metro Milwaukee — and in Madison, it takes 37 minutes to cross the city on its four-lane beltline during rush hours, as opposed to 17 minutes at other times.
The DOT found traffic delays increased by 2.8 million hours last year — but half the increase was attributed to Highway 41 being designated as Interstate 41, so its congestion was recorded for the first time from Milwaukee to Green Bay.