July 30, 2008 : Some people found quicker commutes after the I-35W bridge collapse, expert says
After the shock I felt after the I-35W bridge collapse last year, a practical question surfaced. How am I going to drive to work? I took I-35W every day and had my commute worked out so I would miss most of the morning rush hour congestion. From my home in Maple Grove, it usually took me 30 minutes to drive to campus. I thought those days were gone, but after the collapse, I retooled my commute route and took more Minneapolis side street and I arrived at campus in 25 minutes or even 20 on a good day. Apparently, I wasn't the only commuter who found a shorter route. University of Minnesota researcher David Levinson says that most commuters adjusted to new routes or destinations by October, and while some drivers were worse off, most were indifferent and some had shorter commute times.
Levinson, a University of Minnesota Department of Civil Engineering and Center for Transportation Studies researcher, tweaked their commutes. From leaving earlier to taking fewer trips, Levinson says that most drivers were easily able to find new routes and many people just stopped driving as much or went elsewhere. Trips across the Mississippi River decreased by as much as 50,000 per day and proved how well the other roadways in the Twin Cities connect. Interesting information, if you want to interview Levinson, give me a call at (612) 624-2801 or send me an e-mail at mattern@umn.edu.