Officials have warned residents there could be an increase in visitors...
Experts have said the on April 8 solar eclipse is likely to back traffic up for thousands of miles. "Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally, people will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse," said Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for the American Automobile Association.
A crowd is expected to gather at the epicenter of the eclipse, which is Ohio's Lorain County, in an attempt to get the perfect view. Crowds will be seen in cities, towns and remote areas, and many of these places may not have the infrastructure to handle so many people.
Officials in Lorain County have warned residents there could be an increase in visitors. They must brace for traffic and jammed roads, and there could even be cell phone signal drops.
“What we could have is crowds here that we’re not used to,” said Dave Freeman, the director of Lorain County Emergency Management, according to USA Today. “We’re not set up infrastructure-wise for that, we don’t have the roads.”
An announcement from Oklahoma Highway Patrol says that the state could receive “an influx of anywhere from 17,000 to 66,000 visitors to watch the solar eclipse, according to a study conducted by the GreatAmericanEclipse.com.” Parts of southeastern Oklahoma are set to experience a total solar eclipse.
It added that the roads may be overwhelmed with traffic, and the major highways in the area are US-70, US-259, and State Highway 3. It added that residents must plan ahead, by filling up gas tanks, stocking up on groceries, checking the weather etc.
It also provided some safety tips, asking people not to stop along roadways or the shoulders of roadways, not to click photos while driving and to watch out for pedestrians. It asked people to turn their headlights on and not to pick up hitchhikers.
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