Report: Boston Has 5th-Worst Traffic Congestion In U.S.

Boston is the fifth-worst metropolitan area in the country for traffic congestion, with the average driver wasting 53 hours a year stuck in delays, according to a new report.

The 2011 figure, however, is down from a peak of 64 hours in 2005.

The Urban Mobility Report, published annually by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, also finds that the average Boston-area driver wastes about $1,100 a year in gas while stuck in traffic.

Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Richard Davey said it will take new approaches to reduce congestion.

"Working with employers to have non-traditional workdays, to be able to commute, or telecommute, from home," he said. "I think those are the kinds of things we have to think about because we're not building any more superhighways in the state."

He added that the state may consider making drivers pay more during peak travel times.

"That's been done in other cities, particularly in Europe, to great success where traffic has been reduced."

The report finds that Washington, D.C., has the worst congestion, followed by Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland and New York-Newark.