Tri-State law enforcement prepares for surge in traffic for eclipse
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - We’re getting closer all the time to April’s total solar eclipse. Some local officials estimate tens of thousands of people coming to Evansville to see it in person, which could lead to heavy traffic.
Traffic may be running smoothly now, but that could change once the eclipse gets here.
The path of totality for the 2017 eclipse was about an hour and a half away from Evansville, but it still affected its drivers.
“I never dreamed that the traffic would have been backed up into Evansville from Hopkinsville, but it did happen,” said Indiana State Police Sgt. Todd Ringle. “So we have to plan for the worst and hopefully we’ll get through this without any problems.”
To keep the traffic from getting out of hand, state and local law enforcement say they’ve been planning for months.
Officials with Evansville Police say they have experience dealing with crowds due to other popular events in town like the Fall Festival or fireworks downtown.
They advise people to get wherever you’re going early, and consider alternate routes since those from out of town are more likely to stay on main roads.
“We want to make sure that this is as smooth sailing as possible, that we have adequate staffing, and that people that come to town feel welcomed, but also we understand for our local traffic people have to get from point A to point B on their daily routine,” said Evansville Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Anna Gray.
Law enforcement officials say if you’re planning to travel that day, be ready for delays. They say to keep your gas tank full and have a survival kit in your car with plenty of water and snacks.
Both the state police and EPD say they’ll be fully staffed that day in case of any accidents, drivers in need, or anything else.
They say they feel up to the challenge.
“A lot of it is excitement, but I think we feel prepared and that’s the important thing,” said Gray.
As we get closer to the eclipse, EPD is going to release more specific information on what people can expect to see on April 8th.
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