The Search for Safe Parking
November 21, 2025When 30 Seconds Becomes 30 Minutes
The I-95 approach to the George Washington Bridge: a major bottleneck
The numbers tell a story that every carrier knows too well. For the seventh straight year, the interchange where I-95 meets SR 4 in Fort Lee, New Jersey, holds the distinction nobody wants — America’s most congested freight bottleneck.
But here’s what those rankings really mean: drivers watching rush hour speeds drop to 19 miles per hour. Shippers facing $109 billion in annual delays. And 6.4 billion gallons of diesel burned while trucks sit idling in traffic instead of making progress toward their destinations.
The American Transportation Research Institute’s latest analysis reveals that congestion is getting worse at many key locations, with average rush hour truck speeds falling to 34 miles per hour nationwide. Among the top ten bottlenecks, it’s even slower — just under 30 miles per hour during peak times. These aren’t just statistics. They’re missed delivery windows, frustrated drivers, and supply chain costs that eventually reach every consumer.
Here’s the encouraging part: when infrastructure investment targets the right places, it works. Chicago’s Jane Byrne Interchange was once the nation’s worst bottleneck for three years running. After recent construction improvements, rush hour truck speeds jumped by nearly 25 percent. That’s the proof of concept we need.
With Congress preparing to reauthorize federal highway programs, ATRI’s research provides a clear roadmap for where funding can make the biggest difference. Smart infrastructure investment at these critical choke points doesn’t just move trucks faster — it reduces fuel consumption, cuts emissions, and strengthens the reliability of the entire supply chain.
At NATCO, we work every day to route freight efficiently around known delays. But the long-term solution requires targeted investment in the infrastructure that connects all of us. Because when freight moves smoothly, everyone benefits.