Congestion on roads leading to Hazeltine National Golf Club was starting to ease by midmorning Friday after big backups developed ahead of the opening tee.
By 8:25 a.m., traffic volumes started to decrease and speeds started to pick up on southbound Hwy. 169 from Interstate 494 to Canterbury Road in Shakopee and on westbound Hwy. 212 and Hwy. 41 through Chaska. Traffic flow was also getting better on Hwy. 101 through Shakopee and on westbound Crosstown through Edina and Eden Prairie, although there were still slow pockets on all routes to contend with.
Fog in the area was also impacting the drive.
Earlier Friday, major highways and secondary roads leading to the Chaska golf course were packed and creeping along. Around 7:15 a.m., Star Tribune reporter Rochelle Olson summed things up in a tweet: "The last two miles to #RyderCup2016 have taken 45 minutes and counting."
Other roads such westbound Crosstown through Edina and Eden Prairie and the I-494 along the Bloomington Strip also saw heavy traffic.
Gates opened at 6:30 a.m. Friday as the biggest golfing event on the planet continues with match play Friday through Sunday.
With the best U.S. and international golfers competing in the Ryder Cup, drivers can expect huge crowds in the stands and on the roads leading to the designated parking locations. Officials are expecting an extra 10,000 to 14,000 vehicles per day in the southwest metro, with a majority of the traffic on Hwy. 169, Hwy. 101 and around Canterbury Park where a vast majority of spectators will be directed to park. Shuttle buses will take fans from there to the golf course, adding to the number of vehicles on the road.
A number of roads immediately adjacent to the golf course on Hazeltine Boulevard will be closed.
