SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – If you take Minnesota Avenue for your commute home, you may have noticed the increased traffic, about 12,000 cars of extra traffic.
The extra vehicles during peak commuting hours was even compared to one of the busiest roads in the country.
“I’ve driven on the I-5 and the 405 in California and that’s what it looked like,” commuter Collin McKenzie said.
Summer construction along Cliff Avenue is causing traffic to be diverted to Minnesota Avenue. Heath Hoftiezer, a traffic engineer for the City of Sioux Falls, said they anticipated an extra 10-12,000 cars on Minnesota Ave. from the construction.
“We’re also seeing quite a few using Southeastern Avenue,” Hoftiezer said. “Some of them are going all the way around on the interstate and trying other routes also. I would say the majority went to Minnesota.”
McKenzie lives in Harrisburg, but commutes to work in Sioux Falls and takes Minnesota Avenue. He can typically get to town by 8 a.m. with a 20-30 minute commute.
During his drive home on Monday night, McKenzie snapped a photo of the traffic backed up from 57th street to the Interstate 229 exit at around 5 p.m.
“I had not seen anything like that before,” he said of the traffic in the area. “I mean, I’ve seen traffic on the hill going up on Minnesota before, but nothing like that, where it was backed all the way up to 229 and the left turn lane was backed all the way up to 229 as well.”
His drive home took over 45 minutes on Monday night.
Hoftiezer is encouraging people to explore alternative routes or prepare for a longer commute. One of the biggest ways to beat the traffic, Hoftiezer added, is to leave at non-peak commuting times, if possible. Heaviest traffic is at 7:30-8 a.m. and again from 4:30-6 p.m.
“If you can go earlier or later than the typical commute times, that can be huge,” he said.
With the increased amount of traffic on Minnesota Avenue, the engineers made a change to the green lights along the busy road.
“Basically, you’re seeing about a 40-second guaranteed green increase to about a 70-second guaranteed green,” Hoftiezer explained.
Heavy traffic is expected to remain throughout the summer. A portion of Cliff Avenue is closed down right now, which is adding to the congestion on Minnesota. Hoftiezer said the city is hoping to open up a one way on Cliff this fall.
