The following article is an excerpt from a story that was first published by Morningstar. The full report with footnotes, graphics and references is available at: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/385508/the-impact-of-the-coronavirus-on-toll-roads-october-2021-update

As COVID-19 vaccinations rise and mobility and travel restrictions are lifted, traffic volumes are, in some cases, rebounding sharply. However, because the disease has not been completely contained and more virulent strains are emerging, uncertainty remains as to when traffic volumes will achieve pre-pandemic levels. As DBRS Morningstar reported in our commentary The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on North American Toll Roads: A Bumpy Road Ahead, published in May 2020, economic events such as the ongoing global pandemic, greatly affect road travel.

Global traffic congestion

General road traffic around the world is gradually recovering to pre-pandemic levels as measured by congest