STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- The Steubenville-Weirton metropolitan area will experience the 25th biggest growth in traffic congestion by 2030, according to a study released Thursday.

The report by the libertarian Reason Foundation shows drivers in larger urban population centers will still have the longest waits in traffic, but suburban areas will see the biggest growth in traffic waits by 2030.

Drivers in Steubenville-Weirton experienced 1.2 miles of congestion per lane of highway in 2003.

The study projects the same drivers will deal with 9.3 miles of congestion per lane of traffic by 2030.

"What it says is that the states of Ohio and West Virginia both need to recognize us as an area to invest in the traffic system," said Mike Paprocki, transportation study director for the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Planning Commission.

Paprocki said Three Springs Drive, Sunset Boulevard and the intersection of Route 7 and University Boulevard will see the worst congestion in the area over the next few years.

The problem will be worse when older bridges across the Ohio River are phased out.

Paprocki said building additional highways is only part of the solution. He suggests electronic message boards can warn drivers about traffic and that so-called "smart" traffic signals can communicate with each other and adjust based on traffic volume.

Eric Minor, NEWS9