HOUSTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a new report Monday on the nation's busiest interstates, and Texas is high on the list.
California came in first, with people driving more than 84.7 billion miles on its highways in 2011. Texas came in second, with people driving more than 55.7 billion miles on its interstates.
"Data like these help us better understand the highway system and its needs," said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. "Analysis of the nation's traffic patterns and areas of changing traffic volume will lead to safer, less congested roads and greater mobility for all Americans."
Overall, vehicles traveled 2.95 trillion miles on U.S. roads in 2011 - the eighth-highest level ever recorded, and nearly double the amount traveled in 1980.
America's 10 busiest states (by interstate vehicle-miles traveled) in 2011: