ARKANSAS, USA — Ahead of the Great American Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) has released its plan to handle the heavy influx of sightseers they predict will visit the Natural State to get in line for the rare event.
The eclipse will cause an almost 120-mile-wide shadow to pass directly over Arkansas— ARDOT said the total eclipse on April 8, 2024, will likely be the largest tourist event in Arkansas history.
ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor said, “Our goal is to get everyone where they need to go as safely and efficiently as possible.”
The plan includes traffic forecasts, reduction strategies, flow enhancements, and information about ARDOT’s Traffic Management Center and Communications Division.
ARDOT collected information from several sources to make the plan:
- Traffic info from other states that were in the path of the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
- Data on how many reservations were placed for various Arkansas parks during the upcoming eclipse
- Traffic info about possible bottlenecks around the area
The plan recommends residents avoid traffic chokepoints, reduce oversized loads, prepare for possible school closings, and work from home if possible.
ARDOT's plan also calls for further communication with truckers, reduced construction work, and preparation for potential bottlenecks as the department coordinates with other agencies and officials across Arkansas.
ARDOT said the plan exists as a “living document” that may be updated and edited as needed.
RELATED: Arkansas prepares for record-breaking travel as The Great North American Solar Eclipse approaches
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