Solar eclipse on April 8 could back traffic up for miles across US, here's how to plan ahead

Crowds will be seen in cities, towns and remote areas, and many of these places may not have the infrastructure to handle so many people

Experts have said the solar eclipse on April 8 is likely to back traffic up for thousands of miles. "Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally, people will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse," said Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for the American Automobile Association, according to The Mirror.

The progression of a total solar eclipse is seen in a multiple exposure photograph taken in 5-minute intervals, with the moon passing in front of the sun above Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia, 225 kilometers (140 miles) from Phnom Penh, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 1995 (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File - representational image) (AP)

A crowd is expected to gather at the epicentre of the eclipse, which is Ohio's Lorain County, in an attempt to get the perfect view. Crowds will be seen in cities, towns and remote areas, and many of these places may not have the infrastructure to handle so many people.

Officials in Lorain County have warned residents there could be an increase in visitors. They must brace for traffic and jammed roads, and there could even be cell phone signal drops.

“What we could have is crowds here that we’re not used to,” said Dave Freeman, the director of Lorain County Emergency Management, according to USA Today. “We’re not set up infrastructure-wise for that, we don’t have the roads.”

How can you plan ahead?

“Visitors will likely watch the eclipse within the path of totality in which the moon will completely block out the sun. This stretches across southeastern Oklahoma. The path of totality will completely cover McCurtain County, and partially cover Choctaw, Bryan, Atoka, Pushmataha, Latimer, and Leflore Counties. The town with the longest total eclipse viewing time will be Shults, Oklahoma, approximately 3 miles east of Idabel, with 4 minutes and 19 seconds of viewing time, according to eclise2024.org. The eclipse will pass over Oklahoma starting at 1:44 p.m. CDT and end by 1:51 p.m. CDT on April 8, 2024,” the announcement says.

It added that the roads may be overwhelmed with traffic, and the major highways in the area are US-70, US-259, and State Highway 3. It added that residents must plan ahead, by filling up gas tanks, stocking up on groceries, checking the weather etc.

It also provided some safety tips, asking people not to stop along roadways or the shoulders of roadways, not to click photos while driving and to watch out for pedestrians. It asked people to turn their headlights on and not to pick up hitchhikers.