Rush hour in Connecticut looks very different than it did a few weeks ago. Newly available statistics show a significant decrease in traffic levels throughout the state during the COVID-19 outbreak. The declines in traffic volume began shortly after March 13.
NBC Connecticut analyzed traffic data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s continuous count stations around the state.
One of the count stations is in Wethersfield on Interstate 91. Over the course of three weeks in the month of March, CTDOT data showed 156,086 vehicles traveling the highway on March 6. A week later on March 13, traffic volume was down to 132,832 vehicles. On March 20, there was a further drop with 85,986 vehicles on that stretch of I-91.
Over the span of those three weeks, traffic volumes were down 44.9 percent on Interstate 91 in Wethersfield.
On Interstate 84 in Middlebury, CTDOT data showed that 68,168 vehicles had traveled through the continuous count station on March 11. By March 18, the volume decreased to 52,141 vehicles. At that same location, there was a drop to 37,370 vehicles on March 25.
Traffic volumes decreased 45.2 percent between March 11 and March 25 on Interstate 84 in Middlebury, according to the data from CTDOT.
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The CTDOT continuous count station located on Interstate 95 in Branford showed significant decreases as well. On March 6, 94,904 vehicles traveled that portion of highway, while 80,432 vehicles were counted on March 13; 56,714 were counted on March 20; and 45,937 vehicles were counted on March 27, according to the CTDOT data.
There were 51.6 percent fewer vehicles on this part of Interstate 95 in Connecticut through March, the CTDOT numbers showed.
CT Dept. of Transportation Continuous Count Stations Data
Interstate 91 – Wethersfield
- March 06, 2020 (Friday): 156,086 Vehicles
- March 13, 2020 (Friday): 132,832 Vehicles
- March 20, 2020 (Friday): 85,986 Vehicles
Interstate 84 – Middlebury
- March 11, 2020 (Wednesday): 68,168 Vehicles
- March 18, 2020 (Wednesday): 52,141 Vehicles
- March 25, 2020 (Wednesday): 37,370 Vehicles
Interstate 95 – Branford
- March 06, 2020 (Friday): 94,904 Vehicles
- March 13, 2020 (Friday): 80,432 Vehicles
- March 20, 2020 (Friday): 56,714 Vehicles
- March 27, 2020 (Friday): 45,937 Vehicles