Reduced Traffic

[harllee]

I have been going back and forth this from my cabin in the mountains of NC to my home in the middle of NC. In years past traffic was bad especially on I40 around Winston Salem and Greensboro NC. This summer the traffic has been substantially less. I assume it is due to people working at home, less travel, no school busses, etc. Is anybody else seeing reduced traffic?

 

[travelover]

Yup. Just look at Google maps with the "traffic" color coded mode engaged.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Dunno. I got on I-81 here in SW Va coming home from the vet this afternoon and it seemed as busy as it ever was. Which is pretty packed but not jammed, moving ten miles over the speed limit.

And around town things are at their normal levels or even a bit higher. Many folks around here haven't changed their habits much in the last six months.

 

[6miths]

Yup. Just look at Google maps with the "traffic" color coded mode engaged.

Yes agree. The changes are very apparent if you look at Google maps now and then. I have fun looking at major metro areas now and then. Obviously, too much screen time!!

 

[COcheesehead]

Colorado seems as crowded as ever.

 

[harllee]

I was back home earlier in the week to Chapel Hill and it is like a ghost town--not surprising since the University had to close after a major outbreak. But even here in the mountains the crowds are way below normal--even today leading up to the holiday weekend and the weather forecast is great. I have been on the Blue Ridge Parkway recently and I would estimate that traffic is about 50% of normal even though the campgrounds have reopened. If anyone wants to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway, now might be a good time (bring your mask--they are required in NC).

 

[aaronc879]

I noticed a reduction in traffic in March and April but not since then.

 

[marinauser]

The traffic on Chicago freeways is definitely down significantly although some uptick seems to be starting. In fact, bad wrecks have been up according to some reports because the speeds are much higher than normal. Trips that you would have allowed an hour or more far can now often be done in 20 to 30 minutes.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Here in Los Angeles traffic completely disappeared in March and April, even rush hour was wide open. It has slowly built back but is still well below normal.

 

[braumeister]

Here in Los Angeles traffic completely disappeared in March and April, even rush hour was wide open. It has slowly built back but is still well below normal.

Just the same in the Cincinnati area.

 

[Ronstar]

Traffic in the rural areas 60 miles+ southwest of Chicago is a little less than pre Covid. Very little traffic in March and April, with a continuous increase since then.

 

[USGrant1962]

Still below normal in the DMV (DC-MD-VA). Even listening to traffic radio at rush hour, there seems to be about one trouble spot per day rather than many. Seems every day is the Friday Lights now. Interestingly, in the last few years Thursday has been the worst traffic day as more and more companies adopt 9/80 and other alternate work schedules, making Friday the lowest commute day.

Also below normal up and down I-81/I-83 in PA.

Oh, and "traffic" at Costco is still below average.

 

[W2R]

March and April: Not only was everything closed, residents also were told not to drive except for necessary food and medicines, and necessary medical care. So the streets were deserted and scary looking.

August and September: We are in "Stage 2" of re-opening. Many businesses still cannot open, so that keeps the traffic a bit lighter than it was pre-pandemic. However, people are getting out and driving around, and most schools are open for those students who wish to attend in person. The streets no longer look deserted and scary looking. There is a lot of road work going on around town, so traffic is sometimes miserable. It's probably a good time to get that road work done, but wow.

 

[Sunset]

Traffic .... is a little less than pre Covid. Very little traffic in March and April, with a continuous increase since then.

Same here.
While it moves along faster than pre-covid due to less actual traffic, I notice it a lot as I loved the empty streets back in March/April.

 

[Koolau]

I've been doing my part to lessen traffic on the Island. The main factor is that UH is mostly distance learning. Whenever the school is in recess, the traffic becomes manageable. Most of the K-12 and smaller colleges/universities are also only minimally open - if at all. Kind of nice but I'm not out in traffic that often now. YMMV

 

[jfn111]

Because I'm out showing houses I still have to drive around the Mpls metro area at all hours. I have definitely seen a decline in cars on the road since March. Things have picked up somewhat but Interstate 494 used to come to a standstill during rush hour but not anymore.

 

[Midpack]

Traffic is clearly down where I am. It was alarmingly decreased when the lockdown began in late March and April, easy to get around. There’s more traffic now, but it’s still easier to get around, especially on Interstates.

Traffic is the upside, the downside - this (curtailed businesses/gathering restrictions) is going to go on for another 6-18 months, even if there is a safe, effective vaccine and some businesses will be gone (for a very long time)...

 

[Car-Guy]

Noticeably less, even out here in the open country of Texas... I still look at Transtar (a real time traffic map in Houston). And even at rush hour things seem to be moving very well these days... Last year during the typical rush hour is was all "red" showing near gridlock all over the city.

 

[pacergal]

Noticed reduction in March/April.
It has gradually increased. In fact, the news mentioned last week that freeway traffic was back to "almost normal".

 

[harllee]

Traffic is clearly down where I am. It was alarmingly decreased when the lockdown began in late March and April, easy to get around. There’s more traffic now, but it’s still easier to get around, especially on Interstates.

Traffic is the upside, the downside - this (curtailed businesses/gathering restrictions) is going to go on for another 6-18 months, even if there is a safe, effective vaccine and some businesses will be gone (for a very long time)...

Midpack, I agree--it is good to have less traffic but if the reduced traffic is because of less commerce going on--not good. I mentioned in an earlier post that the traffic on the Blue Ridge Parkway is way down, very bad for tourism here in the NC mountains.

 

[W2R]

Here is the Google Maps traffic map for New Orleans that I just retrieved at 4:20 PM today, a Sunday. I'm glad I am not driving down in the Central Business District.

 

[mountainsoft]

Here in Washington state there was much less traffic from about March till June or so. The freeways and local roads felt abandoned, except for the occasional lawless daredevils going crazy speeds and ignoring traffic rules.

Over the last couple months or so traffic has returned to previous levels. The interstates have been packed, but everyone is still driving very fast. Just today we were driving home from my in-laws, I was doing over 75 mph and people were passing me like I was Grandpa in the slow lane.

I haven't seen a traffic cop since January or February.

 

[Koolau]

Here in Washington state there was much less traffic from about March till June or so. The freeways and local roads felt abandoned, except for the occasional lawless daredevils going crazy speeds and ignoring traffic rules.

Over the last couple months or so traffic has returned to previous levels. The interstates have been packed, but everyone is still driving very fast. Just today we were driving home from my in-laws, I was doing over 75 mph and people were passing me like I was Grandpa in the slow lane.

I haven't seen a traffic cop since January or February.

Yes, I have noticed folks driving as if they've forgotten how to do it safely. The "issue" (bad driving - especially speeding) made the news lately. Apparently the local PD plans to address the issue. I guess we'll see.

 

[John Galt III]

I have been going back and forth this from my cabin in the mountains of NC to my home in the middle of NC. In years past traffic was bad especially on I40 around Winston Salem and Greensboro NC. This summer the traffic has been substantially less. I assume it is due to people working at home, less travel, no school busses, etc. Is anybody else seeing reduced traffic?

HArll, I saw reduced traffic in my eastern Pa town from April until July. When July came around, it was back to its high volume.

 

[harllee]

My local paper had an AP article today about traffic--article said that traffic is still generally down all over the U.S. but that speeding is way up. People started speeding back in March/April when traffic was significantly down and many have continued to speed even as traffic is increasing. Traffic tickets for speeding 20 miles over the speed limit is up in most states. The speeding is causing more accident and road fatalities. An unforeseen consequence of the virus.