這裡的picked-up是什麼意思?

上面這則交通新聞,看了沒全懂,想請大師幫忙翻譯一下
The National Freeway Bureau says traffic picked-up yesterday - with
congestion being reported on several of the island's main highways.
國家高速公路局說: 交通在昨日(緩緩)增加-島內有多處幹道有堵塞的報導.
However, the freeway bureau says travel time between Taipei and Kaohsiung remained at less than five-and-a-half hours in both directions.
然而,高速公路局還說: 台高之間雙向仍維持在5.5時之下.

Traffic volume reached an estimated 2.9 million vehicles yesterday.
交通量在昨日高達2.9百萬輛.

The freeway bureau says traffic will pick-up from today through Sunday, with over 3-million vehicles forecast to be using the freeways tomorrow.
高速公路局還說:交通量在今日與星期日間會(緩緩)增加,預計在明日會高達3百萬輛.

另外,這裡出現兩次的pick-up該作何解?
這些pick-up是動詞 "(緩緩)增加"的意思.

還有,第2段裡的...remained at than five-and-a-half hours...
這裡的than是什麼意思?怎麼會這麼用?
是less than是妳少打了less.

2015-02-21 12:45:50 補充：
> 2) pick up有加快或變順暢的意思，
敬然有人應與降差? 連pick-up 的意思都在胡說!!!

> 但在本文不合文意，
是螺舨主在誤入歧途

> 應是peak(ed) up(達到高峰)才對。
這又差更遠了!

2015-02-22 20:09:26 補充：
(緩緩)增加是習慣上的應用
主要是說“增加”,習慣上是“多”用在“逐漸”的狀況中.
但是不論如何,這位版主所說的“改善”是絕對不但是錯誤的還是剛好相反！

2015-02-22 20:18:31 補充：
至於螺對用字的習慣批評也是極端.
pick up是時常用在“漸增“的狀況上

例子：
The store business starts to pick up in December and the manager hires a few more temps.
The rain fall picks up when the depression approach the ocean.

這是ICRT 2/20 早晨10點的Taiwan news 的網路新聞文稿

AP 我支持您的解説。

(1)pick-up=packed up=packed=crowded with traffic

(2)pick up=tightly packed traffic=same as above=Fri.--->Sun whole day over 3M traffic congested in nos.

(3)Error and correction; in usage:-
at then, adv=at that particular time=at that moment=Just then;
at than==at more than 5 1/2 hrs==6 hrs.=Or same meaning as above=remained at then-----Not than in spelling mistakes.