Coronavirus is driving a drop in traffic on Wisconsin roads. A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum finds that traffic across the state has fallen nearly 40 percent during the outbreak, accelerating a trend that began before the onset of COVID-19.
The biggest drops are in Madison and Milwaukee.
Our latest report looks at how traffic has plummeted on highways throughout Wisconsin amid the #COVID19 crisis — and not just in hard-hit areas.
This shift largely predates a statewide order for Wisconsinites to limit travel and stay home. https://t.co/6EOYKMLe4z
— Wisconsin Policy Forum (@WisPolicyForum) April 21, 2020
The report says the steep drop in driving will hurt Wisconsin, because the state uses gas tax revenues to pay for road projects and with fewer people driving fewer miles, there will be less gas tax money.