According to navigation and GPS company TomTom, traffic congestion got worse last year in every single Texas city except this one. Should we worry?

No, El Paso, it wasn't you. Not that anyone would even jokingly suggest that traffic in El Paso has gotten better. If anything, with all of the construction going on, we've raised the bar on congestion.

We're not alone, every other city in Texas had trouble with traffic flow last year except one and those rising congestion figures could, (someday), mean new fees for drivers.

The Texas cities that saw the biggest increases in time spent trapped in traffic congestion were, you guessed it, the biggest ones: Dallas saw an 8.1% increase in time spent tied up in traffic, Austin went up 9.3%, San Antonio jumped 6.5% and Houston, surprisingly, only rose 1.5%.

Which Texas City Saw A Decrease In Traffic Congestion?

McAllen, Texas saw a 0.4% decrease in time spent, (wasted), in traffic due to high traffic congestion. That's not just a win in Texas either, McAllen had the lowest congestion rate in the entire USA. Which could cost us $$ down the line.

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Why Should Traffic Congestion Worry Me?

Roadways are one of the few things we rely on that we don't pay for. Sure, we pay vehicle registration fess but that's all. There is no daily charge to use the roads and tollways are both few and, (usually), optional.

New York City, where traffic congestion ranks worst overall in North America, is doing something about it. A new toll, known as congestion pricing, just went into effect, charging most drivers $9 to enter part of Manhattan during peak hours. The toll is meant to reduce gridlock in the busiest part of the city, plus raise money to improve public transit. - kxan

If that fee eases traffic congestion AND makes the city money, how long do you think it will be before Texas starts charging us?

LESSER KNOWN TEXAS TRAFFIC LAWS

10 Real Texas Laws You Won’t Believe Are On The Books

These Texas laws seem pretty weird, but they must be there for a reason, right? What on earth led to these having to be passed?

Gallery Credit: Piggie

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