TEXAS ONCE AGAIN TOP IN THE NATION FOR TRUCK BOTTLENECKS

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION—February 17, 2026
TXTA Contact: Julie Hagen 
julie@texastrucking.com 

WASHINGTON, DC —Today, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its 15th annual list highlighting the most congested bottlenecks for trucks in America, and 12 Texas locations made the top 100, including eight in the Houston metropolitan area.  

“Texans know congestion isn’t just frustrating – it’s costly,” said Texas Trucking Association (TXTA) President and CEO John D. Esparza.  “For commuters, traffic delays mean higher fuel expenses, difficulty getting to work, and less time at home with family.  Bottlenecks also create additional hassles for hardworking truck drivers and make our supply chain less efficient, raising prices for consumers.  ATRI’s annual analysis helps pinpoint the most severe chokepoints in our state, giving TxDOT a roadmap for smart, high return investments.”
 
The 2026 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.  ATRI’s truck GPS data is also used to support the U.S. Department of Transportation Freight Mobility Initiative.  The bottleneck locations detailed in this latest ATRI list represent the top 100 congested locations, although ATRI continuously monitors more than 325 freight-critical locations.

The 12 Texas bottlenecks are:
 
•    No. 4 Houston: I-45 at I-69/US 59
•    No. 8 Houston: I-10 at I-69/US 59
•    No. 11 Dallas: I-45 at I-30
•    No. 13 Houston: I-45 at I-610 (North)
•    No. 28 Houston: I-10 at I-610 (West)
•    No. 51 Austin: I-35 
•    No. 52 Houston: I-610 at US 290
•    No. 55 Ft. Worth: I-35W at I-30
•    No. 60 Dallas: US 75 at I-635
•    No. 64 Houston: I-10 at I-610 (East)
•    No. 76 Houston: I-10 at I-45
•    No. 79 Houston: I-45 at Sam Houston Tollway (North)
 

For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, please visit TruckingResearch.org.  ATRI is also providing animations created with truck GPS data for select bottleneck locations, all available on its website.

ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.