Traffic in your city since Covid 19?

[Dariusb]

Have you noticed a difference in getting around in your city or not really?

[Buckeye Native 001]

It's quieter in Flagstaff but we're a college town and most of the students have gone home (Phoenix/California) after classes were moved online. We're also a tourist town (Grand Canyon is 1.5 hours to the northeast). Sales tax revenue is practically nonexistent.

The city decided to start a whole bunch of road construction projects now with everyone gone, so even trying to get around town right now is a pain in the ass.

[Innsertnamehere]

By far, yes.

The GTA is usually a gigantic traffic sewer. Not anymore.

[Steely Dan]

I wouldn't know much about car traffic (haven't driven anywhere in weeks and we live on a residential side street that doesn't see much car traffic), but the CTA Brown line runs down our alley and I notice out of our kitchen window that the train cars are pretty damn empty (0 - 2 people per car), even at rush hour, which is radically different than the pre-lockdown days.

I've also noticed that the CTA has been running full-length 8-car trains 100% of the time now (presumably to increase social distancing) instead of dropping back to shorter trains at off peak times later in the evenings and on weekends.

[iheartthed]

I live on a busy street that normally has vehicles on it at all times of the day, and most of the night. Since this lockdown started traffic has been so light that I barely even have to look before crossing the street.

[Acajack]

Traffic is way down for sure.

After dark those cars that are out seem to be driving faster and more recklessly, probably due to the expectation of not meeting anyone else (cars or pedestrians) on the road.

[iheartthed]

Speaking of traffic, NASA released images comparing the March 2020 nitrogen dioxide levels over the northeast with the March 2015-2019 average levels.

March 2015 -2019 Average


March 2020


source: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4810

I was a little surprised that New York City still has so much activity. But the city didn't really shut down until the last week or so of March. I think April will show much lower levels.

[AviationGuy]

In normal times, Austin is gridlock city much of the day. These days, the city itself is very quiet and I've seen no traffic jams at all. However, I've had to make several (essential) trips through some burbs and traffic was just as bad as always, particularly large construction-related trucks (already-permitted construction hasn't slowed down). Most of the construction in the city itself is downtown, and I haven't been downtown lately so don't know what it's like.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by AviationGuy

In normal times, Austin is gridlock city much of the day. These days, the city itself is very quiet and I've seen no traffic jams at all. However, I've had to make several (essential) trips through some burbs and traffic was just as bad as always, particularly large construction-related trucks (already-permitted construction hasn't slowed down). Most of the construction in the city itself is downtown, and I haven't been downtown lately so don't know what it's like.

Significantly lower. Downtown is like 7am Sunday traffic at 530pm on a weekday. It’s crazy.

[JManc]

Houston traffic is almost non existent.

[ChrisLA]

Los Angeles traffic is way down but it was down before the federal government declared a pandemic. California and LA officials had already started telling businesses to have workers stay at home or telework. It was at least 3 to 4 weeks before the US government impose changes that I noticed I would get home in 35 minutes, as opposed to 1 hour

It feels more like how traffic is on Christmas day. But I have it also say I recently seen a photo on internet showing the 405 as completely empty, but I questioned the authenticity of that photo. I honestly think it was during the weekend of carmagetton when they shut down the 405 to build a bridge over the freeway in the same area.

Traffic is light, but there is still a lot of people going to work, I’m one of them and I see still a good number of cars on the freeway. Thankfully my wife and I are working, and I’m teleworking every other week. She is a high school English Teacher and we both work at a Youth Correctional Facility, and even though they are part of regular public school district they are considered essential employees of the state and cannot close. They are closed this week for spring break, but will be back to work next week. One good thing starting next week they won’t have the youths in the class room, and only have to drop off their school work to the living units, or cell.

[Sam Hill]

I'm a truck driver. I'm local (get paid by the hour and go home every night).

I used to avoid I-25 through the city like the plague because there's a perpetual, horrible traffic jam going through downtown. Now I just cruise through town whichever way is shortest without worrying about running into traffic congestion. The other day I whipped through downtown during rush hour with the cruise control on. It was crazy.

Going down to Colorado Springs is normally hell due to a bottleneck colloquially known as "The Gap" (the gap between Denver's southern edge of suburbia and the Springs' northern edge, where the freeway is only 4 lanes). When I was a little kid, I remember the Springs was an hour drive from Denver (60 miles), but in recent years it's been about 2-4 hours. Not only do you have to sit in traffic getting in or out of Denver and the Springs, but you also get stuck in the gap (which is not only a bottleneck but also prone to nasty weather and accidents since it's up on the Palmer Divide). I jokingly call our Springs runs "The Black Hole."

"I'm going down into the black hole. Who knows when I'll be back!"

For the past few weeks, Colorado Springs has been an hour drive from Denver again - just like the old days I hear my parents reminisce about. It's weird. I head down there, do my drop, and around lunch time I'm magically back. I walk into my dispatcher's office and he gives me a confused look, "I thought you were gonna do that Springs run!?" And I'm like, "I did. I'm already back. COVID man. What else you got for me?"

[Sam Hill]

What about pollution? Anyone else notice less smog in the air? The view of the mountains from Denver has been amazing lately. The white-capped peaks have actually been white instead of the usual orangish-brown.

[chris08876]

I'd say like an 80% reduction in NJ Traffic. Turnpike, some of the main routes in Central/South NJ, just clear and free. People are out, shopping when applicable or doing other things, but it feels like that 9 pm traffic. Just nice. Had to go to Trenton for some personal things and taking Route 31 to I-295 was flawless. Usually Route 31 is chock full of traffic, but easy sailing.

Like if one wants to take a nice road trip through the country or even certain cities, now is the time due to the lack of gridlock and bumper-to-bumper bs.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Speaking of traffic, NASA released images comparing the March 2020 nitrogen dioxide levels over the northeast with the March 2015-2019 average levels.

March 2015 -2019 Average


March 2020


source: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4810

I was a little surprised that New York City still has so much activity. But the city didn't really shut down until the last week or so of March. I think April will show much lower levels.

NO2 pollution certainly comes from the transportation sector (i.e., motor vehicle exhaust), but coal-fired power plants, metals manufacturing (coke refineries, mills, and foundries), and petroleum refineries also produce a lot.

That's why you don't see too much improvement in Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Philly-NYC.

[MayorOfChicago]

I live by the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago and went to my office once a week for the past five weeks.

Traffic is completely non existent in Chicago. I am on google maps all the time with traffic pulled up as default and have not seen any traffic at any time (except for the pileup on the Kennedy this morning because of ice).

[Innsertnamehere]

Even the most notoriously congested parts of the GTA freeway network have been free-flow in peak periods.

I drove down the DVP last week around noon, and traffic levels were probably equivalent to a typical random Tuesday at 3am. Shockingly empty.

One thing I have noticed is that construction companies have started closing lanes mid-day now, which was typically reserved for late at night. Some work on the QEW in one stretch that is normally extremely congested (reason for the work) has had lane closures right through rush hour with free flow conditions still easily occurring.

[MonkeyRonin]

This data might be of interest - it shows the daily change in foot, transit, and vehicle traffic by city or country: https://www.apple.com/covid19/mobility

As of a few days ago, walking in Toronto was down 71%, driving 73%, and transit use down 86% relative to their normal rates:

[Dariusb]

Originally Posted by Sam Hill

What about pollution? Anyone else notice less smog in the air? The view of the mountains from Denver has been amazing lately. The white-capped peaks have actually been white instead of the usual orangish-brown.

I've heard that pollution worldwide has dropped quite a bit since the quarantines began. I'm sure it's made our planet happy if only for a brief moment.

[TexasPlaya]

Austin traffic on 183 is the least crowded I've ever seen during daylight. Haven't been on I35.