If you think traffic is bad, and getting worse, you are right, according to a study released by the Texas Transportation Institute.

The study found that commuters in the Honolulu area spend about 9.3 million hours delayed in traffic congestion. The delays waste about 6.3 million gallons of fuel and cost each driver an extra $434 a year in gasoline.

The numbers rank Honolulu 51^st out of 85 major metropolitan areas. That places Honolulu in league with cities like Omaha, Neb., Grand Rapids, Mich., and Allentown, Penn.

"The reason we do this report is to bring this out as a topic, to talk about congestion -- something everyone's concerned about. Everyone would like it to go away," said David Shrank, co-author of the report.

The urban mobility report offered some suggestions, including synching traffic signals to keep traffic moving better, more high-occupancy vehicle lanes to get more people in fewer vehicles, and traffic cams to get tow trucks to stalled vehicles faster.

The city recently launched a pilot project with commuter ferries from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower. The project is expected to last a year.

A previous project with a commuter ferry from Leeward Oahu to Honolulu failed.

The city is also moving forward with plans to start a mass transit system that would travel from Kapolei to Ala Moana. The city hopes to break ground for the project in 2009.