Oregon Expecting Heavy Traffic During Total Solar Eclipse, Not To Return Until 2169
Expect delays on the roads. Just after 9 a.m. on August 21, a total solar eclipse will cross the U.S, and Oregon will be the first state this rare phenomenon hits – Oregon’s first in 38 years.
Oregon last saw a total solar eclipse in 1979, but it won’t see another one after this summer’s event until 2169. This cosmic event is expected to bring thousands of tourists to Oregon, all for less than 3 minutes of darkness where viewers can see a 100 percent eclipse of the sun. However, it will take about 3 hours for the moon to completely transit the sun.
The path of the eclipse will be about 60 miles wide, crossing over places like Lincoln City, Salem and Madras. Truck drivers planning to travel in Oregon on Monday, August 21, 2017 should plan ahead and expect dense traffic in many locations across the state.
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Traffic Concerns: In the event of any last-minute, impromptu eclipse day trippers, I-5, Hyws: 20, 26, 84 and 101, and other north/south highways into the state might experience traffic jams. With 39 million Californians and 10 million in Washington and British Columbia, even small percentages of unprepared eclipse goers could create a difficult situation on the roads and at destinations.
ODOT plans to use permanent and temporary signs to alert motorists to traffic conditions and have all hands on deck to respond to crashes and set up detours, if needed.
Also, motorists should turn on their lights as the sunlight fades, not stop on the roadways, and reserve the shoulders for emergencies.
The eclipse falls right in the middle of ODOT’s 100-day construction season, and the state agency will direct its contractors not to close any lanes from Aug. 18-22 to help traffic flow.
