Unexpectedly Grueling: California Commute Nightmare Found Far from SoCal

Californians have identified the worst traffic headache in the state, and surprisingly, it’s not located in Los Angeles.

The notorious “MacArthur Maze,” nestled near the Bay Bridge, has claimed the title of California’s most dreaded commute. It has surpassed even the infamous freeway congestion that habitually plagues Southern California, grinding traffic to a halt.

In a recent survey conducted by Resume.io, 3,017 employees were asked how much of their annual income they would give up to eliminate their daily travel woes.

According to the Mercury News, respondents expressed a willingness to forgo $3,220 just to avoid the intricate tangle of I-80, I-580, and I-880.

Importantly, this figure does not account for the additional savings commuters would enjoy by reducing fuel consumption and minimizing vehicle maintenance costs.

It was simply based on how much they would hypothetically be willing to give up to get that time back in their lives each day.

The portion of US 101-Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles, connecting the City of Angeles to the San Fernando Valley, came in as a close second, at $3,112 to avoid the nightmare area.

Taking the third place spot was the part of the I-405 through Sepulveda Pass, connecting the west side of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. Workers said they would give up a little more than $3,000 to skip this part of their commute everyday.

The online survey, which was taken in July 2026, also found 46% of those polled said they were willing to turn down a job if the commute to work was going to be too hard or long. 

The emotional toll a stressful commute can garner was one of the greatest costs for one-third of those who responded. 

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However, the city with the worst traffic in the US, is still held by LA, where Angelenos are spending more than a full workday –– 8 hours and 27 minutes –– in traffic every week.

“It may be the City of Angels, but traffic in Los Angeles can be downright devilish,” reads the latest report by Consumer Affairs that ranked America’s 50 most populous cities on commute times, traffic congestion and fatal crash rates. LA climbed up from last year’s No. 2 rank on the list.

Angelenos are spending 36 minutes more per week than last year stuck in traffic, with an average daily commute time of around 30 minutes –– the sixth highest daily commute in the US.

The same report placed San Francisco as having the fourth-worst traffic in the country. Drivers in the Bay Area spend an average of  5 hours and 56 minutes in congestion each week.