California commuters have identified the "MacArthur Maze" near the Bay Bridge as the state's most challenging commute, according to a new survey. This freeway interchange, connecting I-80, I-580, and I-880 in the Bay Area, was ranked worse than the frequent gridlock experienced in Southern California.
A survey conducted by Resume.io, which polled 3,017 employees, asked participants how much of their annual salary they would be willing to forfeit to eliminate their daily commute. Commuters indicated they would sacrifice $3,220 to avoid the MacArthur Maze, a figure that does not account for savings on gas or vehicle maintenance.
The survey focused on the hypothetical financial sacrifice individuals would make to reclaim time lost to commuting.
Following the MacArthur Maze, the portion of U.S. 101-Hollywood Freeway in Los Angeles, which links the city to the San Fernando Valley, ranked second. Commuters there stated they would be willing to give up $3,112 annually to bypass this route. The I-405 through Sepulveda Pass in Los Angeles, connecting the west side of the city with the San Fernando Valley, secured the third position, with respondents willing to sacrifice over $3,000 to avoid it.
The survey, conducted in July 2026, also found that 46% of respondents would decline a job offer if the commute was deemed too difficult or lengthy. For about one-third of those surveyed, the emotional strain of a stressful commute was cited as a significant cost.
Separately, Los Angeles continues to hold the title of the city with the worst traffic in the U.S. Angelenos spend an average of 8 hours and 27 minutes in traffic weekly, according to a report by Consumer Affairs that analyzed commute times, congestion, and fatal crash rates in 50 populous cities. This represents an increase of 36 minutes per week compared to the previous year, with an average daily commute time of approximately 30 minutes, ranking sixth highest nationally.
San Francisco was ranked fourth for the worst traffic in the U.S., with drivers in the Bay Area experiencing an average of 5 hours and 56 minutes of congestion weekly.