Traffic Along the Gunflint Trail

According to the Cook County Highway Department the traffic along the Gunflint Trail is measured every 3-5 years for 1-3 days and the outcome determines the amount of highway funds given to the county. The last measurement was in 2005, so this should probably be our base line.

They take the data from the test period and determine an average daily road
load. The current road load per day is as follows:

• From the city of Grand Marais to the Devil Track Road- 2500 vehicles per day
• From Devil Track Road to Greenwood Road- 1350 per day
• From Greenwood Road to Hwy. 92- 780 per day
• From Hwy 92 to the Tuscarora Road- 500 per day
• From Tuscarora to the end of the Trail- 135 per day
  

By multiplying each of the above numbers by 365, you would have the annual traffic for different sections of the road.

The county estimates that 5% of the vehicles are commercial trucks.

In addition, they create the "Traffic Factor". The current Gunflint Trail
Traffic Factor is 1.5 meaning that over the next 20 years, the county
estimates that the Gunflint Trail traffic count will increase 50% over what
it is in 2005. Next year's traffic is estimated by multiplying this years
traffic by 1.020. In the past, the Gunflint Traffic Factor has been 1.3
resulting in fewer funds for roads.