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Traffic heat map of Washington County, Minnesota: 762 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on Wakota Bridge and I 494

Washington County, Minnesota Traffic Counts

Traffic analytics for Washington County, Minnesota, calculated from real-world mobile and sensor networks on 15,992 road segments (762 road miles, about 252 ft each). It ranks among the top 5 counties in Minnesota for average daily traffic. Use the figures below to move from assumptions to certainty on retail locations, logistics and road planning.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Washington County, Minnesota

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day4,571
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

6.7%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

29.7 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

13.2%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

46.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$123,767

Our data shows 4,571 vehicles per day on the average road in Washington County, Minnesota, and 5,429,768 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈2.0 billion per year) across its 762 miles of monitored roads. About 1 in 15 vehicles is a truck, fewer than the 1 in 12 across Minnesota.

Shorter trips than 98% of counties in Minnesota

Washington sees 34% higher average daily traffic volume than the state average (4,571 vehicles per day against 3,404), suggesting more demand on each road - more exposure for roadside businesses, and more competition for road space. Network-wide, Washington accounts for about 3.9% of Minnesota's statewide total of vehicle-miles. 95% of counties in Minnesota see less traffic than Washington's 4,571 vehicles per day.

The average trip takes 29.7 minutes, 8% lower than the state level. On travel time, Washington runs shorter than 98% of counties in Minnesota.

At 24% higher than the state level, the 13.2% congestion ratio signals more pronounced congestion - relevant for traffic control and delivery planning.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Washington County, Minnesota

Trafficvehicles per day24,185
Trucks9.0%
Average travel time37.2 min
Congestion ratio40.2%
Drivers’ average age46.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income$112,501

Highways carry about half of all travel in Washington County, Minnesota, 49% of vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 24,185 vehicles per day, 491% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 4,089 vehicles per day.

Yet highways are only 14% of the road network, 108 miles in 384 segments, so each mile of them is 3.4 times as busy as the average road mile.

That puts Washington among the top 5 counties in Minnesota for highway travel volume.

More highway trucks than 95% of counties in Minnesota

The concentration of trucks on highways (9.0%) is 12% lower than the state average for similar road classifications. The highway traffic mix is typical for Minnesota: neither freight- nor commuter-dominated.

By truck concentration, highways here trail 84% of counties in Minnesota. Washington's highway truck count is higher than 95% of counties in Minnesota, at roughly 2,184 trucks per day.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Washington County, Minnesota

Trafficvehicles per day4,089
Trucks4.5%
Average travel time29.5 min
Congestion ratio12.5%
Drivers’ average age46.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income$131,740

Local roads carry about half of all travel in Washington County, Minnesota, 51% of vehicle-miles. A typical local road sees 4,089 vehicles per day.

Spread over 654 miles and 15,608 segments, 86% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 2,777,716 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈1.0 billion per year). About 1 in 22 vehicles on non-highway roads is a truck (4.5%).

Drivers from higher-income areas than 98% of counties in Minnesota

The concentration of trucks on non-highway roads is 50% lower than on highways.

The non-highway congestion ratio of 12.5% is 29% higher than the state level, suggesting slower local mobility than the state average.

Trip origins here have higher average income than 98% of counties in Minnesota. The driver population here skews younger than 73% of counties in Minnesota.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 10:00 AM–12:00 PM and a long afternoon plateau from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 91% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are much quieter: volumes run about 20% below weekday levels, the signature of a commute-driven road network.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
May–July is the high season, with volumes +13% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -15% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Washington County, Minnesota, the peak hour concentrates about 8% of the day's traffic, and there is a strong seasonal swing of +13% in high season.

Washington County vs. Minnesota Traffic Comparison

The average daily traffic per road sets Washington County apart: 34% above the Minnesota average. Its truck share, by contrast, is 17% below.

MetricWashington CountyMinnesota averageDifference
Traffic4,5713,404+34.3%
Truck % (Total Traffic)6.7%8.1%-16.7%
Truck % (Highway)9.0%10.3%-12.0%
Avg. Travel Time29.7 min32.2 min-7.8%

How Washington County compares

Washington County against nearby counties

Nothing in this table sets Washington County sharply apart from the 4 areas nearest to it, though it has the fourth busiest roads of the five.

Washington County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Minnesota average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Washington County4,5716.7%5,429,76829.7 min13.2%
Ramsey County, Minnesota6,5256.2%10,659,23733.1 min17.1%
St. Croix County, Wisconsin3,90913.6%3,056,78029.0 min11.2%
Anoka County, Minnesota5,2926.0%7,245,43429.9 min13.5%
Dakota County, Minnesota5,3707.0%9,984,12530.3 min14.1%
Minnesota average3,4048.1%N/A32.2 min10.6%

Washington County ranked within Minnesota

On average driver income, Washington County is among the three highest county-level areas in Minnesota.

Washington County ranked among 87 county-level areas in Minnesota (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 81.
MeasureWashington CountyMinnesota rank
Traffic volume (AADT)4,571#5 of 87
Highway vehicle-miles per day2,652,052#5 of 81
Truck share on highways9.0%#68 of 81
Highway trucks per day2,184#5 of 81
Average travel time29.7 min#85 of 87
Average driver income$123,767#3 of 87
Average driver age46.2 yrs#64 of 87

Washington County ranks #5 of 87 on average daily traffic volume but #85 of 87 on average travel time. Heavy traffic and short trips together: a compact network where destinations sit close to one another.

Busiest roads in Washington County, Minnesota

On their busiest stretches, the three busiest roads in Washington County carry 84,313 vehicles a day on average, 18.4 times the typical road in the county (4,571).

Wakota Bridge leads with 109,220 vehicles a day, 9,062 of them trucks (8.3%). It also carries the most trucks.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1Wakota BridgeMotorway · 109,220vehicles9,062trucks · 8.3%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
58.5%
Median trip time
37.0 min
Drivers’ median age
45.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$114,432

At 23.9 times the county average, Wakota Bridge draws drivers from neighborhoods averaging $114,432 in household income.

2I 494Motorway · 74,713vehicles6,696trucks · 9.0%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
66.7%
Median trip time
38.3 min
Drivers’ median age
46.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$114,083

I 494 is one of the more congested roads here: trips take 67% longer than at free-flow speed, against 13% county-wide.

3I 694Motorway · 69,005vehicles5,559trucks · 8.1%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
63.3%
Median trip time
38.6 min
Drivers’ median age
46.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$113,400

Delays build on I 694: its congestion ratio of 63% over free-flow time is well above the county's 13%.

4Blue Star Memorial Highway/34th Infantry (Red Bull) Division Highway/Shawn Silvera Memorial HighwayMotorway · 66,541vehicles4,304trucks · 6.5%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
45.6%
Median trip time
35.4 min
Drivers’ median age
47.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$102,862

A main artery: Blue Star Memorial Highway/34th Infantry (Red Bull) Division Highway/Shawn Silvera Memorial Highway's busiest stretch carries 14.6 times the county average; trucks are 6.5% of it, in line with the county-wide 6.7%.

5I 94Motorway · 65,528vehicles6,497trucks · 9.9%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
39.1%
Median trip time
38.3 min
Drivers’ median age
44.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$116,042

I 94 is a trunk route for the county, carrying 14.3 times the county average on its busiest stretch; trucks are 9.9% of it, above the county-wide 6.7%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1Wakota BridgeMotorway · #1 by traffic109,220vehicles9,062trucks · 8.3%
2I 494Motorway · #2 by traffic74,713vehicles6,696trucks · 9.0%
3I 94Motorway · #5 by traffic65,528vehicles6,497trucks · 9.9%
4I 694Motorway · #3 by traffic69,005vehicles5,559trucks · 8.1%
5Blue Star Memorial Highway/34th Infantry (Red Bull) Division Highway/Shawn Silvera Memorial HighwayMotorway · #4 by traffic66,541vehicles4,304trucks · 6.5%
How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

WashingtonDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Washington County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Washington County, Minnesota.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.