MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area tied for 23rd among 85 U.S. cities in a traffic congestion study from the Texas Traffic Institute.

The Texas Traffic Institute's urban mobility report was released Tuesday, revealing that U.S. drivers wasted 4.2 billion hours sitting in congested traffic in 2005. That breaks down to about 38 hours per driver, per year -- almost and entire work week.

Drivers in the Twin Cities spent an average of 43 hours stuck in traffic in 2005, up from a 40 hour average in 2004.

Los Angeles had the worst congestion with 72 hours in traffic delays per year. Atlanta, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Dallas followed. Spokane, Washington and Brownsville, Texas were rated the least congested cities, spending only eight hours per year stuck in traffic.

The study estimates drivers wasted 2.9 billion gallons of gas while sitting in traffic. Between wasted fuel costs and lost time, traffic delays cost the country and estimated $78.2 billion, according to the study.

According to census data, about 3/4 of all U.S. commuters drive along to work.

The report suggests a few solutions to the growing traffic congestion problem:

  • Lane additions
  • New roads
  • Better public transportation
  • Adjusted work schedules
  • Telecommuting
  • Carpooling