Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025:
G.W. Bridge retains spot atop worst trucking bottlenecks
The intersection of I-95 and State Route 4 near the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey, is the nation’s most congested freight bottleneck in the country for the seventh straight year.
The American Transportation Research Institute on Wednesday released its 14th annual list highlighting the most congested bottlenecks for trucks in America.
The 2025 Top Truck Bottleneck List measures the level of truck-involved congestion at more than 325 locations on the National Highway System. The analysis, based on an extensive database of freight truck GPS data, uses several customized software applications and analysis methods, along with terabytes of data from trucking operations to produce a congestion impact ranking for each location.
The bottleneck locations detailed in this latest ATRI list represent the top 100 congested locations.
“Delays inflicted on truckers by congestion are the equivalent of 436,000 drivers sitting idle for an entire year,” said ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster. “These metrics are getting worse, but the good news is that states do not need to accept the status quo. Illinois was once home to the top bottleneck in the country, but following a sustained effort to expand capacity, the Jane Byrne Interchange in Chicago no longer ranks in the top 10. This data gives policymakers a road map to reduce chokepoints, lower emissions, and drive economic growth.”
As Congress prepares to reauthorize the nation’s surface transportation programs, this timely analysis can help local, state and federal governments target funding where it is needed most. ATRI’s analysis also quantifies the value of infrastructure investment through a spotlight on the Jane Byrne Interchange. As Brewster noted, it was once the No. 1 truck bottleneck in the country. For three years in a row now, the recently constructed interchange saw rush hour truck speeds improve by nearly 25% after construction was completed.
[Related: Trump II and the outlook for speed limiters, broker transparency, parking push]
Behind the I-95/SR 4 interchange, the remaining Top 10 bottlenecks are:
2. Chicago: I-294 at I-290/I-88
3. Houston: I-45 at I-69/US 59
4. Atlanta: I-285 at I-85 (North)
5. Nashville: I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East)
6. Atlanta: I-75 at I-285 (North)
7. Los Angeles: SR 60 at SR 57
8. Cincinnati: I-71 at I-75
9. Houston: I-10 at I-45
10. Atlanta: I-20 at I-285 (West)
ATRI’s analysis, which utilized data from 2024, found traffic conditions continue to deteriorate from recent years, in some instances due to work zones resulting from increased infrastructure investment. Average rush hour truck speeds were 34.2 mph, down 3% from the previous year. Among the top 10 bottleneck locations, average rush hour truck speeds were 29.7 mph.
The full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, can be seen here.
[Related: Cost of congestion tops $100 billion annually, nearly $8k per truck]
Another I-17 closure planned this weekend
The southbound lanes of Interstate 17 are scheduled to be closed near Loop 303 in north Phoenix this weekend for pavement and bridge improvements, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Drivers should allow extra travel time and consider adjusting travel schedules while the closure is in place, ADOT said.
From 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17, I-17 SB will be closed between Loop 303 and Happy Valley Road. Additionally, the SB I-17 on-ramps at SR 74/Carefree Highway and Dove Valley Road will be closed.
Traffic will detour on WB Loop 303 to SB Lake Pleasant Parkway and EB Happy Valley Road.
Additional closures in the area are currently planned for the NB I-17 lanes from Feb. 21-24 and the Southbound lanes from Feb. 28-March 3.
Truckworx named top Kenworth dealer
Truckworx Kenworth was recently named the 2024 Kenworth Dealer of the Year for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting in Tucson, Arizona.
This was the second straight year Truckworx Kenworth earned the prestigious award.
“Wow, what an honor it is to be named Kenworth’s North American dealer of the year back-to-back,” said Will Bruser, Truckworx president and chief executive officer. “I am so proud of the Truckworx team, and we are beyond blessed to have a partner like Kenworth. This is an amazing industry with such great people that help keep America moving every day and we are honored to be a part of it.”
Truckworx Kenworth’s key achievements included increasing heavy-duty market share, strong Paccar engine mix, PremierCare Gold leadership, service bay capacity over 100%, reinvesting in their business, strong Paccar Financial utilization and successful TRP stores.
Truckworx Kenworth executives were presented with the esteemed award, an Italian hand-crafted crystal eagle inlaid with 24 karat gold talons. Truckworx Kenworth was also honored with a Dealer Excellence Gold Award.
The Kenworth award for Truckworx followed another achievement at the American Truck Dealers Show last month when Truckworx’s Bruser was named ATD’s Truck Dealer of the Year.
[Related: Truckworx’s Bruser crowned 2025 ATD Truck Dealer of the Year]
