Trucking is big business in Philadelphia. More than 170 truck carriers have their headquarters in the city, and it is home to two of the top 50 U.S. freight gateways: the Port of Philadelphia and Philadelphia International Airport. Combined, both had nearly $20 billion of trade in 2003. One out of every 11 workers in the state of Pennsylvania is employed in trucking occupations, making it the fourth-largest employer in the state.

With increased congestion comes an increase in the number of automobile accidents, especially truck accidents. According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), and the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS), a large percentage of all fatal and non-fatal truck accidents in the state of Pennsylvania occur in and around the bustling city of Philadelphia. Although the area did not have the most truck accidents, statistics indicate that more people died as a result of truck accidents in Philadelphia than any other city in the state.

Other causes of Philadelphia congestion include stalled cars, road repairs, overturned vehicles and bad weather. The city's streets system totals 2,393 miles -- 1,975 miles of city streets, 65 miles of Fairmount Park roads, and 353 miles of state highways. Several major interstates criss-cross and converge in Philadelphia, a major hub along the corridor for goods being transported along the East Coast. The Philadelphia-South Jersey metropolitan area has a system of highways that services the entire area:

• The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76 and I-276) runs east/west across the northern portion of the area. It connects directly with the New Jersey Turnpike just north of the city. The Pennsylvania Turnpike also has a Northeast Extension (I-476) which connects with the Turnpike at Plymouth Meeting. South of Plymouth Meeting this I-476 is known as the Blue Route. This highway runs south until it connects with I-95 near Chester, just south of the city and near the Philadelphia International Airport.
• Two principal highways run into the city of Philadelphia:
  • I-95 runs along the entire eastern border of Pennsylvania along the Delaware River and eventually crosses into New Jersey just north of Trenton, NJ. There are numerous exits from I-95 in the city of Philadelphia including several which service the Center City area.
  • I-76 or the Schuylkill Expressway. The Expressway runs from King of Prussia south along the Schuylkill River to South Philadelphia where it connects with the Walt Whitman Bridge into New Jersey.

Traffic wear and tear continue to age the region's highways, resulting in two problems: the need for increased maintenance of the existing structure, and the need for major re-widening projects. Both problems result in major Philadelphia thoroughfares being in a continual state of construction, with ongoing lane closures and traffic delays. Many other area roads in the 215-year-old city cannot be widened, yet are constantly being required to handle increasing loads of traffic.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the region's traffic congestion problems will continue to compound and accelerate unless there is increased use of car or van pools, the city's 115 bus routes, as well as telecommuting and flex-time. Although the region has a better than average public transportation system, there is little hope for significant change for the better in Philadelphia's traffic situation, at least for the foreseeable future.