Like clockwork during morning and afternoon rush hours, the streets in and around major cities turn a deep crimson on Google Maps.

Particularly in four major U.S. cities — New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta — congestion has become the scourge of urban activity, challenging city leaders and supply chain managers to develop smart solutions.

In a first-of-its-kind crossover, Smart Cities Dive and Supply Chain Dive collaborated to take a deeper look at these cities and assess how technologies are transforming gridlocks among trucking, rail, port and aviation operations.

1. Planes, trains and automobiles: Transportation congestion by the numbers

   For the average American congestion is an inconvenience, but for supply chains and the cities in which they operate, it costs serious cash. Read More >>

2. New York City’s next big congestion challenge hides in plain sight

   Crowd-sourced logistics gives average drivers a new way to make extra cash and presents an already bursting city with a new traffic menace. Read More >>

3. Fixing Chicago’s freight rail congestion

   Chicago is America's busiest freight rail hub, but severe congestion has stakeholders investing in infrastructure and technological improvements. Read More >>

4. In Los Angeles, traffic efficiency begins at the ports

   For decades, unrelenting growth has forced transportation and city managers to work together on a blueprint for efficient and sustainable freight movement. Often, the solutions start at the ports. Read More >>

5. Managing traffic congestion around Atlanta's 'gateway to the world'

   From satellites to sensors, Atlanta uses technology to ensure people and goods move efficiently — both in the air and on the ground. Read More >>

6. For drone deliveries, the sky's the limit

   Medical and package deliveries are key, while some cities participating in a new program by the Federal Aviation Administration are looking to logistics and border control. Read More >>

Do you know of other solutions and technologies that cities are using to combat congestion? Shoot us an email at [email protected].