Data: Minnesota Department of Transportation; Note: Includes freeways in Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios
Traffic volume on Twin Cities freeways is basically back to pre-pandemic levels once again, according to data from MnDOT.
What happened: Traffic volume plunged after COVID first reached Minnesota. It rebounded back to normal levels in the middle of 2021, but when COVID surged last winter, more people opted to stay home.
Traffic dipped again in July as gas prices came close to $5 a gallon.
But with prices below $4 now, you are probably noticing a lot more congestion this fall.
Yes, but: Traffic is more spread throughout the day, according to MnDOT. In particular, morning rush hour is not as busy as it was in the years leading up to the pandemic.