February 18, 2026
List of top 100 truck bottlenecks released by U.S. research institute
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released its 15th annual list highlighting the most congested bottlenecks for trucks in America, with the interchange of Interstate 294 and Interstates 290/88 in Chicago ranking as the most congested freight bottleneck in the country.
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's 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.
For the first time ever, the intersection of I-294 and I-290/I-88 in Chicago is the top freight bottleneck in the country, surpassing the long-standing number one bottleneck in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The remaining Top 10 bottlenecks include:
2. Fort Lee, NJ: I-95 at SR 4
3. Atlanta: I-285 at I-85 (North)
4. Houston: I-45 at I-69/US 59
5. Atlanta: I-75 at I-285 (North)
6. Atlanta: I-20 at I-285 (West)
7. Nashville: I-24/I-40 at I-440 (East)
8. Houston: I-10 at I-69/US 59
9. Cincinnati: I-71 at I-75
10. McDonough, GA: I-75
ATRI's analysis, which utilized data from 2025, found traffic conditions continue to deteriorate from recent years, in some instances due to work zones that result from increased infrastructure investment. Average rush hour truck speeds were 33.2 MPH, 2.8 percent slower than the previous year. Among the top 10 locations, average rush hour truck speeds were 29.6 MPH.
For access to the full report, including detailed information on each of the 100 top congested locations, click here to view full list.
Source: ATRI