The Texas Transportation Institute's Urban Mobility Report ranks cities based on congestion.  Here are some key findings from the report, including information on Orlando. 

* Orlando’s ranking on the congested cities list has improved in recent years, probably largely because unemployment levels are high and people are driving less.  Orlando is still above the national average for time wasted in traffic.

• In the current report, we are #15 (tied with Miami, FL; Austin, TX; and San Diego, CA), spending an average of 38 hours per commuter stuck in traffic every year.  Nationwide, the average time lost per driver annually in rush-hour traffic is 34 hours.  Total cost of congestion nationally is $101 billion lost in fuel and time.
  
  
• In the 2010 report, we were #14, wasting an average of 41 hours stuck in traffic annually.
  
  
• In the 2009 report, we were #6 (tied with Jose, California and Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas), wasting an average of 53 hours stuck in traffic every year.
  
  
• In the 2007 report, we were #8 (tied with San Jose, California and Detroit, Michigan), wasting an average of 54 hours stuck in traffic every year.

* Congestion costs Orlando commuters $811 million annually (including time and fuel) – an average cost of $791 per commuter.

* Researchers say there are multiple solutions to the congestion problem— there’s no magic bullet.  Solutions and what we’re doing locally:

• Make the most of the transportation system we have.  Management and operations solutions like traffic light synchronization and moving accidents quickly off highways are important and help traffic flow smoothly.  These relatively low cost solutions use technology to help ease the commute.
  
  
• Provide transportation choices.  Research conducted for MetroPlan Orlando and the University of Central Florida in 2011 found strong support for a wider variety of transportation choices in the region, with 78 percent of respondents expressing a desire for a more balanced transportation system in Central Florida, including increased transit options like passenger rail and buses.
  
  
• Land use and transportation planning must be connected.  We can’t just build our way out of congestion— we have to change the way we build communities.  If citizens work and play closer to where they live, that relieves traffic for everyone because people are spending less time on the road.
  
  
• Employers can help ease congestion by giving employees flexible schedule options.  If more commuters chose to work from home or started work at non-traditional times, less cars would be on the road at rush hour.
  
  
• Keep expectations realistic— large urban areas will always have some congestion.

To view the full Texas Transportation Institute report, visit:
http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility-report-2011.pdf

To view data for the Orlando area, visit:
http://mobility.tamu.edu/files/2011/09/orlan.pdf

Most Congested Cities in the United States