If you are moving here from somewhere with truly terrible traffic - like Los Angeles for example - the traffic will probably seem light.
The rush hour in Minneapolis and St. Paul tends to be a concentrated in the traditional rush hour times. The morning rush hour is early, worst around 7.30-8a.m., and the evening rush hour peaks at 5-5.30, and traffic calms considerably soon after the busiest period.
Apart from the rush hours, it's rare to see congestion on the road in the Twin Cities, other than the kind you'd expect around a major event, construction, or heading out of town on a holiday weekend.
Where is the Worst Congestion in the Twin Cities?
The busiest roads in the Twin Cities metro area are the ones bringing commuters in from the northwest, the west and southern suburbs. All the major freeways, Interstate 35 and the 35E and 35W branches, and Interstate 94 and the I-494, and I-694 beltway roads, and the spur road I-394 get predictably congested.The section of I-35W south of downtown Minneapolis is the busiest section of freeway in Minnesota. Unfortunately, the 35W and the intersection with Highway 62 is under construction with a projected completion date of December 2010.
Interstate 94 between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, most of I-394, I-35W leading into downtown Minneapolis and I-35 around downtown St. Paul have very heavy traffic in the rush hours.
The Weather and the Roads
As well as sheer numbers of vehicles, congestion is exacerbated by seasonal factors. In the summer, MNDoT liberally distributes traffic cones all over the Twin Cities and tries to do six months of road construction and repairs during the warm months.
In the winter, the roadwork has been cleared up, but people who bike or ride the bus in the summer are back in their cars, and the weather often makes traffic worse. If you are a newcomer to frigid climates, we have serious snowstorms, and icy roads following snowfalls. And more accidents caused by the icy roads.
