Area residents know the D.C. region has horrible traffic congestion. But a new study tells residents just how bad it is out there.

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The D.C. area is the worst in the nation for time spent in traffic, according to a study by the Texas Transportation Institute. The report states that area drivers spend 70 hours a year stuck in traffic.

That translates into an extra 60 gallons of gas a year.

Michael McGriff’s commute from Annandale to Tysons has stayed the same for years. But he’s noticed that it now takes much longer.

“It’s really like twenty minutes from my house and I still find myself having to leave like an hour earlier,” he said.

For some residents, there’s little hope in sight.

“I really don’t see it anything getting better anytime soon,” said Annandale resident Liz Smith.

While the tangled traffic includes clogged interstates, the critical secondary roads going to the highways also add time to your commute.

Budget cuts, however, have put secondary road improvements and expansions on hold in the area. Now drivers are paying the price - with their time.

“We’ve only focused on the major roads and neglected the secondary roads,” said John Townsend, of AAA Mid-Atlantic. “(We’re) not understanding their importance in terms of our daily lifestyle and our daily commute.”

For many, the struggle to get to and from anywhere dictates when we do what we do. Some change work hours to avoid being stuck behind the wheel when traffic is at its worse.

“My schedule actually is flexible so that I can do that,” said Bruce Wilson of Fort Washington. “I know everybody doesn’t have that. It just happens that I do.”