INDOT Encourages Drive to be Prepared for Solar Eclipse Traffic Jams

We are just a few weeks away from the Solar Eclipse on August 21st. With cities like Hopkinsville, Kentucky (roughly and hour and fifteen minutes south of Evansville) being prime locations for watching the moon block out the sun for a couple of minutes, the Indiana Department of Transportation is getting us prepared for what will likely be an increase in traffic coming through town.

With a large amount of people expected to travel south from the northern part of Indiana and beyond, INDOT is expecting Highway 41 and Interstate 69 to see higher than normal traffic flow as spectators flock to Kentucky to watch it get dark in the middle of the day. They're also reminding residents that all those people will need to go home after the celestial event, so the potential is there for two different instances of traffic congestion.

The Department also offered a few tips on safe ways to travel before, during, and after the event including not taking pictures while driving, not wearing eclipse glasses while driving (the lenses are extremely dark), not stopping along the interstate or park on the shoulder during the eclipse, and making sure your headlights are on during the event.

[Source: INDOT]