# Eclipse traffic **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650 "2017-08-14T17:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/61 "2017-08-15T18:00:55Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > On the traffic, I am reminded of London 2012, when massive traffic jams were widely forecast. In fact, traffic was lighter than on a normal day, because the locals stayed at home or took the time off as a holiday. The thing about Wyoming is that there aren’t any locals to begin with. The population of the entire state is about 600,000, which happens to be about the number of visitors they’re expecting for the eclipse, all concentrated along that narrow band of totality, and probably biased heavily toward the east (near Denver). ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/62 "2017-08-15T18:05:22Z")
Lots of towns will have barriers and driving restrictions like they do on the 4th of July. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/63 "2017-08-15T18:12:42Z")
We made hotel reservations last August in Lincoln Nebraska. Our hotel is actually on the edge of totality, with 1 minute 15 seconds of totality. We could stay put and watch it from our hotel parking lot, but we plan on driving at least 20 miles south and possibly find someplace to pull over on a back road. We have relatives in Beatrice, so if the radio says the roads are (relatively) clear, we’ll drive 45 miles south to be on the center line (something like 2m30s). There’s lots happening at the nearby [Homestead National Monument](https://www.nps.gov/home/total-solar-eclipse-weekend-of-events-at-homestead-national-monument-of-america.htm), which is where Bill Nye the Science Guy will be, but we plan on seeing those the day before on Sunday to avoid the crowds. They’re running shuttle buses all weekend between the town and along the township roads. On 8/21 they’re closing the parking lot to all traffic, buses only. My major concern is leaving, since I need to be at class the next morning in Minnesota. Our college’s first day of classes is actually 8/21, too damn early in the summer, but I’m having my students just do some online quizzes. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/64 "2017-08-15T18:39:28Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > On the traffic, I am reminded of London 2012, when massive traffic jams were widely forecast. In fact, traffic was lighter than on a normal day, because the locals stayed at home or took the time off as a holiday. > > Many people who lived near the Olympic Park, flew off to Spain and rented their houses or flats out for the two weeks at huge rents (This happens at Wimbledon every year too). Yeah, but people who headed to the Olympic games were mostly people who had tickets, right? And various events were spread over a couple of weeks. The biggest venue only held 70,000 people or so. The eclipse happens at a specific time, and there’s no need for tickets or other preparations or expense. All you have to do is be there. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/65 "2017-08-15T18:51:25Z")
I think the difference between these other “massive traffic jams” is that there’s an option … take a day off from work, telecommute, just leave the area … that’s all fine but it’s just avoiding the crowds … this massive traffic jam is the event, there’s just no avoiding it if you want to see the eclipse … But that is an excellent point … _maybe_ traffic will be horrible … then again maybe not … it’s rare that local government’s get heavily criticized for being a little over-prepared … the alternative can be quite contentious … However … traveling the eclipse zone Monday may still a bad idea … if for no other reason than parking spaces … although I suppose you could just stop in the middle of the road for the couple minutes … not like the police will be able to get to you to write a ticket … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/66 "2017-08-15T19:15:05Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > I think the difference between these other “massive traffic jams” is that there’s an option … take a day off from work, telecommute, just leave the area … that’s all fine but it’s just avoiding the crowds … this massive traffic jam is the event, there’s just no avoiding it if you want to see the eclipse … > > But that is an excellent point … _maybe_ traffic will be horrible … then again maybe not … it’s rare that local government’s get heavily criticized for being a little over-prepared … the alternative can be quite contentious … > > However … traveling the eclipse zone Monday may still a bad idea … if for no other reason than parking spaces … although I suppose you could just stop in the middle of the road for the couple minutes … not like the police will be able to get to you to write a ticket … It’s worse than that … Starting a couple hours before the event people will be parking on shoulders and in the infield. Once all those spaces are full near the place somebody = anybody has chosen as “their” destination, that somebody/anybody will simply park in the outer traffic lane. Soon more cars will park in the same fashion and within a few minutes the interstate is reduced to one lane each way with zero shoulders and clogged on/offramps. Not too long after the outside lane is mostly clotted somebody else will park on the inner lane. Now you have a linear parking lot 5 to 10 cars wide and umpteen miles long growing in length at a decent clip. Neither police nor fire nor EMS will be able to move from wherever they’re sitting when the [del]traffic[/del] cars clot solid. It will be epic. Epic fail. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/67 "2017-08-15T19:39:13Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > We have relatives in Beatrice. Ask them about “Mile Lines” that’ll be the way to get around. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/68 "2017-08-15T19:50:36Z")
I’m hoping it isn’t too bad in east central Wyoming- I’m going to try to get to totality north of Torrington. At least when it is done, I’m heading back north, and not toward Denver! ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/69 "2017-08-15T20:38:29Z")
I think most of the predictions about traffic and such are overblown hype. We get this everytime a potential disaster faces us (reference Y2K, for example). In actuality, what happens is no where nearly so gruesome. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/70 "2017-08-15T21:28:48Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > …I’m jaded by how underwhelming the several partial eclipses I’ve seen were. > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Partial eclipses are a far cry from the experience of a full eclipse. Not really comparable. Being in the totality of an eclipse is usually described as pretty amazing. From what I’ve read the difference is — you’ll pardon the phrasing — like night and day. I gather that seeing a partial eclipse is “Huh, that’s interesting,” whereas seeing totality is “Oh my God! That was absolutely incredible! I don’t even know how to describe it.” ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/71 "2017-08-15T21:44:08Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > From what I’ve read the difference is — you’ll pardon the phrasing — like night and day. > > I gather that seeing a partial eclipse is “Huh, that’s interesting,” whereas seeing totality is “Oh my God! That was absolutely incredible! I don’t even know how to describe it.” Well, I hope for all of you who ARE making the effort that this is true. And that you have perfect viewing conditions and not-too-awful traffic jams. It’s way too late for me to make plans at this point, and it would have been a real challenge anyway for other reasons, so I’ll stick to my plan of virtual participation. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/72 "2017-08-15T21:54:39Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Yeah, but people who headed to the Olympic games were mostly people who had tickets, right? And various events were spread over a couple of weeks. The biggest venue only held 70,000 people or so. The eclipse happens at a specific time, and there’s no need for tickets or other preparations or expense. All you have to do is be there. There was a lot more going on and some events like cycling were on public (closed) roads. > [@](#): > > Over 2 million visitors have arrived in London to support the Games, making it the biggest crowd event in the city’s history. > > Describing the staggering crowds just three days in as a “never ending tide of humanity”, Boris Johnson said: “The sheer numbers turning out to show their support for the Games is incredible.” > > Danny Boyle’s £27 million opening ceremony is thought to have added to the clamour to be in London. > > About 1.5 million turned out over the weekend to free events across the capital while 500,000 paid to attend sports at Olympic venues. Well over one million fans lined the streets during the weekend’s cycling road races. > > Hundreds of thousands also flocked to Olympic Live sites including those at Hyde Park, Victoria Park, Trafalgar Square and Potter’s Field at City Hall, where they could watch the sport on giant screens. > > Tens of thousands more are in London for the Cultural Olympiad. The Emirates cable car carried a record 26,000 people on Saturday. > > [London 2012: More than 2m fans visit London for Games | The Independent | The Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/london-2012-more-than-2m-fans-visit-london-for-games-7987307.html) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/73 "2017-08-15T22:13:08Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I think most of the predictions about traffic and such are overblown hype. We get this everytime a potential disaster faces us (reference Y2K, for example). In actuality, what happens is no where nearly so gruesome. It’s true that the media loves to over-hype everything. OTOH, the demand for bookings of available spaces and the price gouging have turned out to be factual. > [@Gary\_T](#): > > From what I’ve read the difference is — you’ll pardon the phrasing — like night and day. > > I gather that seeing a partial eclipse is “Huh, that’s interesting,” whereas seeing totality is “Oh my God! That was absolutely incredible! I don’t even know how to describe it.” This is true. Another night-and-day difference is the difference between traveling hundreds of miles and fighting hordes of humanity versus sitting on my front porch with a nice glass of wine and watching an 80% partial. Long-range forecast says the weather will be clear and sunny here, which is pretty much a guarantee of 100% overcast with thunderstorms, but hope springs eternal. If I feel ambitious I might even see if I can still get a solar filter for my Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope, though I’m very doubtful. I’m sorry to miss the total eclipse, but miss it I shall. I envy those who are nearby, except for the chaos they might have to put up with. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/74 "2017-08-15T22:23:44Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > **Weather** - Current long-range forecasts call for clouds and rain, with snow above 6,000 feet. The coast is predicted to have onshore maritime winds and normal morning fog. The weather people are just toying with us. Yesterday, the forecast for Corvallis on Monday was full sun. This morning, the forecast was for overcasts skies. Now it’s back to full sun. I expect them to yank my chain several more times between now and the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/75 "2017-08-15T22:31:42Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It’s true that the media loves to over-hype everything. Boy do they! You should see what the local channels are like when there’s even a hint of snow in the weather forecast. So there may be a **Reverse Carmageddon Effect** (name which I just made up since my last post here), where there so many predictions of massive traffic jams that people stay away in droves. It’s hard to say if that’ll be the case for this eclipse. People have made reservations which for this event were not cheap. So they’re not going to want those to go to waste. It’s more the casual observer who lives within what would normally be easy driving distance who may be deterred by the hype. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/76 "2017-08-16T00:59:51Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > I work for TA/Petro in Troutdale. Gas prices in Multnomah County will be around $9.50/gallon the weekend preceding the eclipse. [Price gouging is illegal under Oregon law](https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/sales-scams-fraud/price-gouging/). ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/77 "2017-08-16T01:00:33Z")
It’s going to be just like Burning Man in some places. Gradual traffic leading up to the event and then mass gridlock as everyone tries to leave at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/78 "2017-08-16T01:48:25Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > I’m hoping it isn’t too bad in east central Wyoming- I’m going to try to get to totality north of Torrington. At least when it is done, I’m heading back north, and not toward Denver! Every hotel in Casper is fully booked and even Glendo State Park is saying to stay away. I’ll get 93% coverage in Boulder. Good enough. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/79 "2017-08-16T02:40:40Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Every hotel in Casper is fully booked and even Glendo State Park is saying to stay away. I’ll get 93% coverage in Boulder. Good enough. This is what I do not get. Everyone is talking like there is only one place to go see this. I see no reason you have to go to Glendo State Park. Drive down the road ten miles and pull in to a gas station and watch it there. There is a 50+ (70?) mile wide swath it will take as it crosses the US on a 3,000+ mile journey. Surely you can find someplace to see it other than Glendo. Also, there is supposedly a world of difference between a partial eclipse and seeing it in the totality. If you can make it the trip should be worth it (assuming clear skies). I’d advise waking up early(ish) and getting a read on traffic (Google maps is pretty good for this). If it seems not too bad go for it. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650/80 "2017-08-16T03:00:37Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > I would plan on a much longer trip than an estimate from Google Maps or your GPS would suggest both going and coming… > > Stranger Also, don’t count on Google Maps and phone based GPS to work. Cellphone overload is going to be a real problem - no data, no maps. Time to dust off the old Garmin or get a paper map. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eclipse-traffic/793650.md?page=5)