The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is advising anybody planning on traveling to view the April 8 solar eclipse to expect congested highways and limited parking at rest stops the closer you are to the path of totality.
The KYTC is lifting restrictions in select work zones and informing commercial drivers of expected traffic increases in order to help the flow of traffic. Sections of Interstate 65 in Bullitt and Hardin counties are among the select work zones.
KYTC District Four Public Information Officer Chris Jessie says while the area is not expected to be as congested as other areas of the commonwealth, the District Four team is still getting ready.
“Heavier congestion for eclipse traffic is expected over in western Kentucky and southern Indiana, but if we have any issues here, we’ll have people on call that Monday to go out and man any signals that need to be flushed through,” said Jessie. “Anything like that where we have any spotted backups, and those would only likely happen on routes like I-65 interchanges or maybe one of the parkway interchanges, but again, we are prepared to man some of those sites if need be.”
The KYTC recommends packing essentials to ensure a safe and comfortable ride, and recommends delaying travel home after the eclipse for a few hours to avoid the initial traffic swell.
Officials are projecting more than 1 million travelers will pass through Kentucky on their way to viewing locations.
Visit the KYTC’s eclipse page on the web for more information and tips.
