The worst traffic nightmare in the U.S.

It may not have come as a shock to those who regularly traverse the region's expressways and tollways, but last week's confirmation that the Chicago area has the worst traffic in the country still was unwelcome news.

As is the fact that it may take years, if then, for it to get better.

The only potential good news is that the annual study by the Texas Transportation Institute reports that one reason traffic counts are up is that the economy is getting better. The institute claims that more people are on the roads going to work or to retail centers to shop.

Here in the Chicago area, however, that doesn't help ease the pain of losing 70 hours a year to traffic delays. That's what the report showed, tying Chicago with the Washington, D.C., area as the worst in the country. The nationwide average is 34 hours. The figures are for 2009, which is the latest year available.

And you lose more than just time when sitting in traffic. The study said the cost to the average commuter nationwide was $808 in 2009. In the Chicago area, as you might expect, the number is higher: $1,738, again the highest in the country.

Whatever happened to Chicago being The Second City? Sure would sound better in this regard.

What to do about our traffic gridlock is the key question for transportation experts, politicians and commuters alike. The answers are not easy to come by, but we must do something.

In last fall's general election, we asked candidates about traffic congestion. Most agree, as do we, that we must increase reliance on public transportation by creating a better system for traveling throughout the region — not just Chicago to the suburbs and back. The STAR line, a proposed commuter rail service linking suburbs from Waukegan to Naperville and beyond is vital. State and federal officials must find a way to finance that long-needed project.

And drivers must face the fact that we need to change our habits when it comes to driving. If rail is available, we need to use it. If a better bus system is created, we need to explore that. And on our tollways and expressways, we need to look at carpooling or paying more to ride alone.

A story earlier this month by Daily Herald staff writer Kimberly Pohl outlined two road projects that we think need to be completed: the extension of Route 53 north into Lake County and the western bypass to O'Hare International Airport.

Local governments need to do what they can as well — sometimes making those hard decisions for the benefit of all. An example can be found in Kane County, where last month the new Stearns Road Bridge over the Fox River opened. However, it took 25 years to get that done as funding and local controversy took time to overcome.

Do we want Chicago to sit atop the traffic congestion list for 25 years? No, we must get moving on solutions now.