It’s not your imagination: Highway congestion and delays in the Portland area have worsened precipitously in recent years, the Oregon Department of Transportation says.

The evening "rush hour" commute now lasts six hours or more on several key metro highways. Some see congestion all afternoon; others no longer have a break in congestion between the morning and afternoon commute.

It’s not just about new residents. The worsening traffic comes as people are driving more, thanks to an improved economy and low gas prices. The bump in economic activity has also led to more freight traffic on the roads.

Where are commuters feeling it the most? Here are the nine most severe bottlenecks among Portland-area highways, according to the transportation department.

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Bruce Ely/staff

9. Interstate 205 Southbound

Rush hour: 2:30 to 6 p.m.

The 5.3 miles from the Glenn Jackson Bridge to the Division Street exit is generally bumper to bumper for 3½-hours.

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Beth Nakamura/Staff

8. Interstate 205 Northbound

Rush hour: 3:15 to 6:15 p.m.

The 8.5 miles connecting the Interstate 5 to the Abernethy Bridge can be tied up for as much as 3 hours, 45 minutes. Drivers are averaging 35.4 mph during the evening commute, which is among the lowest in the region.

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Bruce Ely/Staff

7. Interstate 405 Southbound

Rush hour: 2:15 to 6:15 p.m.

The 3.5 miles dividing the Fremont Bridge and Interstate 5 can be tied up as much as 4 hours a day. Drivers are averaging 29 mph during the evening commute, the slowest crawl in the region.

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Dana E. Olsen/Staff

6. Oregon 217 Southbound

Rush hour: 7:15 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m.

The 3.5 mile-stretch from Denney Road to Interstate 5 gets choked up for 5 hours, 15 minutes a day.

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Doug Beghtel/Staff

5. Interstate 5 Northbound

Rush hour: 1:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The six-hour high-congestion window applies to an 11.5-mile stretch from Capitol Highway to the Interstate Bridge. Commuters are averaging less than 32 mph during the evening ride.

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Doug Beghtel/Staff

4. Oregon 217 Southbound

Rush hour: Noon to 6:15 p.m.

The 3.5 miles from U.S. 26 to Hall Boulevard has a 6-hour, 15-minute window for gridlock.

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Randy L. Rasmussen/Staff

3. Interstate 84 Eastbound

Rush hour: 12:30 to 7 p.m.

Afternoon gridlock on the six miles from Interstate 5 to Interstate 205 runs 6½ hours.

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Michael Lloyd/Staff

2. Interstate 5 Southbound

Rush hour: 7:45 to 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.

The 3 miles from the Rosa Parks Way to the Rose Quarter mimics a parking lot much of the day, when you calculate for the morning and evening commute, for a grand total of 9 hours, 15 minutes. That means prime drive time has grown two full hours, or 27.5 percent, since 2013.

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Doug Beghtel/Staff

1. U.S. 26 Eastbound

Rush hour: 6:15 a.m. to 7:45 p.m.

You had to know this was coming. The 4.9 miles from Oregon 217 to the Vista Ridge Tunnel easily captures the traffic nightmare crown by duration and rate of growth. Peak congestion time has surged more than 31 percent, to 13½ hours, since 2013.

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