I-66 Garners Dubious Recognition: Worst Freeway

For commuters in the Washington metropolitan area it may come as no surprise that a recent analysis ranked Interstate 66 as the country’s worst freeway.

“The roads are far and away the roughest interstate patches in the US - the only system remotely close is Hawaii, which should get some slack considering the whole state is one big active volcano system,” the staff at Thrillist said about the infamous I-66 corridor.

A commuter who frequents the freeway cited in the analysis added, "On I-66, there is always traffic. I’ve been on 66 at 10 p.m. and there is still traffic. I try to avoid it at all costs."

I-66, the primary roadway for truckers and motorists, is a key connector to the nation’s capital for the Northern Virginia area.

Rounding out the top three on the list were Interstate 10 in New Orleans, and the 610 Loop in Houston, Texas. Thrillist, a general interest website, relied on Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data that ranged from travel time index to average congestion time to compile the list. Highways in Los Angeles and New England also were mentioned in the top 12 ranking.

Not on the list were the well-known congested roadways in Oahu, Hawaii; North Jersey and Chicago. A recent survey by the American Transportation Research Institute of the most congested freight corridors had Fort Lee, N.J.; Chicago and Atlanta in its top three.