ODOT Prepares For Solar Eclipse

Less Than 100 Days until “E”-day — Expect Travel Impacts for Days Before and After the Eclipse

Exclusive – From Pioneer correspondent
Be prepared to stay off the roads for one week during the upcoming Solar Eclipse on August 21, cautions Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). “Take extra time to travel, be prepared and expect to hit congestion,” says ODOT’s Lou Torres.
More than one million visitors are expected to flock to the state, projected to be one of the best places in the US to see the sun disappear behind the moon, turning daylight into twilight between 9:30 and 11:30 am on Monday August 21.
Now, ODOT is advising people that congestion will start Wednesday August 16 and last through Wednesday August 23. “It’s going to be very difficult to move around. It isn’t just during the Monday [of the Eclipse],” says Torres.
Those that need to work or visit their doctors are advised to carpool or find alternative ways of traveling. “Think hard before you have to travel,” says Torres, recommending Tillamook’s The Wave transportation as one option. “It’s going to be slow all up and down highway 101.”
This amazing experience is likely to cause massive headaches for local residents. State parks and most hotels are already booked. There are rumors that local Tillamook farmers are planning to rent out their cow fields to potential tourists. Gas may run out and shelves at the local retailers and grocers are likely to remain bare.
It’s no mistake that this advice sounds similar to emergency preparation. Oregon officials are actually using this event as an opportunity to practice for potential emergencies. There may be little difference between this Eclipse and a tsunami. “We don’t know what to expect, says Torres.
Looking forward, ODOT and the State will introduce a specific Eclipse website in a few weeks that will serve as a central point for all of the latest news and information.