STUDY: Atlanta drivers waste 52 hours in traffic a year

ATLANTA — If you think you are wasting hours of your life in Atlanta traffic, you're right. A new study shows metro Atlanta commuters waste 52 hours a year stuck in rush-hour traffic.

A study conducted by Texas A&M and Inrix Atlanta ranks 12th worst in the nation for lost time sitting in traffic.

Cities like Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles top the list of worst areas for traffic.

GDOT Spokeswoman Natalie Dale says improvements like the toll lanes in the northwest corridor should be a game changer.

According to Dale, a couple of factors are leading to bottlenecks.

"Our economy is really moving along right now. Gas prices are low and that means more people are getting in their car and driving to work, less carpoolers more people getting to work," said Dale.

The study points out commuters waste 30 hours of their life every  year at I-285 eastbound at Roswell Road. to Spaghetti Junction, 25 hours a  year are lost at the downtown connector from Lakewood to North Avenue, 20 hours are lost on I-85 southbound from Lindberg to I-75, and 17 hours are lost at I-285 westbound from Peachtree Dunwoody Road to I-75.

WSBTV