Oregon expecting heavy traffic during total solar eclipse, not to return until 2169

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Declares State Of Emergency To Facilitate Eclipse Preparedness And Readiness

The Oregon Department of Transportation is warning drivers that the August 21 eclipse could cause the worst traffic mess in Oregon history. The traffic jams on the highways could rival the problems caused by our winter storms last year, which trapped people in gridlock overnight.

So 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.

Can Truckers Claim Hours Of Service Exemption For The Total Solar Eclipse?

Oregonian's solar eclipse path in Oregon Aug 21

Changes coming to ease expected congestion

According to ODOT, Oregon’s Motor Carrier Transportation Division is taking steps to ease the expected congestion and wants to be sure all trucking operators are aware of highway conditions.

No over-width loads will be allowed to operate anywhere in Oregon from noon Friday Aug. 18 to 12:01 a.m. Tuesday Aug. 22
Nearly all ODOT construction and non-emergency maintenance on state highways in the path of totality will be shut down Aug. 18-22 to ease the potential traffic impact
Other construction and non-emergency work will be curtailed depending on the expected traffic impact of the eclipse
With hundreds of thousands of additional visitors expected in Oregon, fire danger will be especially high. Motor carriers should be particularly wary of fire dangers
Most if not all fairgrounds are booked for events so there will be no large emergency parking areas available to commercial motor vehicles stuck in traffic due to roads blocked by crashes
With no hotel and motel rooms available, rest areas and even roadside pullouts may have people camping in place, which is a danger to safe highway operations and will exacerbate parking problems for commercial motor vehicles
Scale locations may be used for staging by law enforcement and emergency response vehicles and may not be available for use by commercial motor vehicles

To reduce congestion, Oregon is advising travelers to “Arrive early, stay put, and leave late.” Motor carriers also should plan ahead and take steps that could help them avoid major congestion problems.

Travelers may also create hazards by stopping along the road the morning of Aug. 21 as the eclipse darkens the skies. ODOT advises all motorists to avoid stopping along the roadway at the time of the eclipse, which could be hazardous.

Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado are placing restrictions on oversize/overweight loads in the days around the eclipse.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has stated no over-width loads will be allowed to operate in the state between noon on Friday, Aug. 18 and 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22. Other over-dimensional loads with permits, including triples, will still be allowed. ODOT also says some scale locations may not be available for use by truckers during the event.

The Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles is also restricting large loads, implementing a “holiday protocol. Starting Sunday, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. and ending at dawn Aug. 22, loads exceeding 10-feet wide, 100-feet long or 14-feet, 6-inches tall may not travel on interstate or state highways south of Lewiston.

In Wyoming, the Wyoming Highway Patrol will not issue any oversize/overweight permits on Aug. 20-22 to help with traffic flow.

The Nebraska DOT is not allowing oversize loads to travel in the state from sundown on Friday, Aug. 18 until sunrise on Tuesday, Aug. 22.

Colorado transportation officials are also restricting all oversize/overweight travel north of Highway 50 from Kansas to Utah, beginning at sundown on Thursday, Aug. 17, and continuing through sunrise on Wednesday, Aug. 23.