Thanks to Monday’s solar eclipse, disastrous traffic jams have been taking over the country these last few days.
And as folks leave the first coast-to-coast solar eclipse since 1918, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated that nearly two-thirds of the nation’s resident live withing a day’s drive of the path of totality.
And with Oregon being the first to see the eclipse, it and neighboring state Washington are experiencing the worst bouts of the traffic jams.
As folks leave the first coast-to-coast solar eclipse since 1918, the U.S. Department of Transportation estimated that nearly two-thirds of the nation’s resident live withing a day’s drive of the path of totality
Map of the drive time to the center-line of the eclipse, this map does not take into account extremely heavy traffic in areas that are currently seeing swells of revelers
‘This is the biggest transportation event that has ever hit Oregon,’ Dave Thompson, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Transportation told AP.
Oregon expected over a million people to be in attendance for the eclipse.
Traffic backed up along northbound lanes of Intestate 57 near Johnston, Illinois
But by 1pm traffic was already bumper to bumper throughout most of the state.
Officials urged commuters to adjust work travel around the eclipse and associated acts. Over 150 events were planned thoughout the state and almost all hotel and accommodation sites were booked.
In Idaho, the Transportation Department had placed around 20 traffic counters along the roads to see how many drivers will be on the road at a given time.
The state hoped that it would help provide drivers with the best route but there were an estimated 30,000 more cars in the Gem State.
Traffic was still at a standstill into Monday evening.
Just between Idaho and Oregon alone, AAA expected there to be around 6,000 roadside issues throughout the weekend and the next few days.
The Colorado Department of Transportation expected 34,000 people to leave Wyoming for Colorado at the exact same time.
The Colorado Department of Transportation expected 34,000 people to leave Wyoming for Colorado at the exact same time
But by 11pm many drivers were still stuck in Wyoming and unable to get out of the State.
Typical two-and-a-half hour long journeys from Casper to Cheyenne wound up taking over ten hours.
Gas stations in the area ran out of gas or were forced to only let certain amounts be purchased.
But by 11pm many drivers were still stuck in Wyoming and unable to get out of the State. Typical two-and-a-half hour long journeys from Casper to Cheyenne wound up taking over ten hours
The Division of Homeland Security for Colorado said that every hour over 3,000 vehicles made their way out of the state.
They even halted all construction for the roads from Friday to Tuesday and prevented most oversized and overweight vehicles from traveling through the states.
‘We are fully expecting that every single road going up into Wyoming or Nebraska is going to be packed,’ Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Jared Fiel said to USA Today.
In Illinois, the Department of Transportation expected up to 200,000 visitors and halted all construction lane closures from Friday evening to Tuesday morning. But that too didn’t ease traffic as highways were backed up for hours
In Illinois, the Department of Transportation expected up to 200,000 visitors and halted all construction lane closures from Friday evening to Tuesday morning.
But that too didn’t ease traffic as highways were backed up for hours.
In Kentucky cars were often bumper to bumper as in most parts of the state, speeds did not exceed nine miles per hour.
Two women standing on the sidewalk were struck by a car during the eclipse. One has died, according to authorities.
There were message boards posted along the highways detailing possible delays for drivers.
A boy sells cold drinks in Oregon to drivers stuck in traffic
‘We are thinking about what could happen. Anticipating some things, but realistically, it’s going to be reactive and not proactive,’ Henderson County Emergency Management Director Larry Koerbe said.
‘We can’t anticipate everything.’
The South Carolina Emergency Management Division reported rest area and parking closures as early as 11am Monday Morning.
In various parts of the state, the Department of Transportation reported more than 200 percent growth in traffic.
The department also reports that Interstate 85 and 77 ‘are experiencing heavier than normal congestion.’
The United States Department of Transportation pressed drivers not to stop on the side of the road to observe the eclipse as that too could add to extra congestion.