Trying to See the 2024 Solar Eclipse? Expect Massive Traffic Jams
Several states are warning visitors to plan ahead and be aware of traffic congestion ahead of, during and after the total solar eclipse on April 8
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Seeing the upcoming total solar eclipse is something many people across the country are preparing for, but something they may not have planned on is having to deal with massive traffic jams.
Officials from Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and many other states will be putting measures in place to alleviate heavy traffic and are also warning visitors who plan ahead if they want to watch the first total solar eclipse since 2017, which will be visible through states from Texas to Maine.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) told Time that they're expecting there will be up to 5 million people across the country traveling to view the eclipse.
“The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) knows that there is great interest in this rare solar event, and that’s why we want everyone to be aware of the real traffic and safety impacts,” a spokesperson told the outlet.
Related: All About the Rare Total Solar Eclipse, Including Where It Occurs and How to See It
“Traffic congestion is by far the biggest concern we have to date,” Bob Reinhard, emergency management coordinator for Bell County, which has a population of 400,000, told PEOPLE ahead of the eclipse. “Every one of these large arteries [including Interstate 35] has the potential to be packed with motorists. Not only the day of the event, but also on the days leading up to Monday the 8th."
Added Reinhard, "Trying to keep those traffic lanes moving at some pace will be a huge challenge."
In fact, Bell County was one of the first in the nation to declare a local state of disaster, which, among other things, requires all private property landowners in unincorporated areas to register with the county if they are planning to host events with over 50 people in attendance
Texas isn’t the only state anticipating especially heavy traffic. In Oklahoma, the major general announced that 30 National Guardsmen will be deployed to support the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and other local emergency managers amid the influx of visitors, according to the Oklahoma Voice.
Transportation officials in the state also warned that people should be prepared with a full tank of gas and have a map, just in case cellular services are overwhelmed. Additionally, they encouraged drivers to refrain from parking on the sides of the road to view the eclipse — or from picking up hitchhikers, per the publication.
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Another popular eclipse hotspot that is expected to be in the Niagara Falls area. Officials in Erie, Penn. told USA Today that they are expecting an “unprecedented” amount of visitors — between 56,000 and 200,000 — and encouraged visitors to extend their stay to ease the congestion in the area and avoid traffic.
At least 5 million people traveled across the U.S. to see the previous total eclipse that occurred in 2017, according to the Institute of Transportation Engineers, per Time. And the congestion lasted for up to 13 hours following the eclipse, per the outlet, citing Transportation Research News.
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