Ga. Transportation Officials: Don’t Become An ‘Eclipse Refugee’
A total solar eclipse is seen in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 9, 2016. A total solar eclipse was witnessed along a narrow path that stretched across Indonesia while in other parts of Asia a partial eclipse was visible. (AP Photo/Irmansyah)
Irmansyah / Associated Press
Transportation officials hope to avoid traffic gridlock on Aug. 21, the day of the solar eclipse.
The Georgia Department of Transportation’s Natalie Dale expects heavier traffic in metro Atlanta, especially north of Interstate 20.
“We will have patrols going through to make sure that traffic is moving, to make sure that we don’t have any traffic backups,” Dale said.
HERO trucks will move to the northeastern part of the state where people will watch a total eclipse.
“To make sure that they help direct people in and out of areas that are going to have special events, that they are going to keep traffic moving if there are accidents, that they help get those cleared so traffic can move in and out,” Dale said.
Dale also warned against getting stuck on the road by driving to northeast Georgia on eclipse day.
“We don’t want anyone to become what they call an eclipse refugee, which is someone who decided at the spur of the moment to head up to this corner of the state to watch the eclipse and then was either unable to get gas, or all the hotels were sold out, so they’re not able to find a place to stay,” Dale said.
The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning drivers not to pull off onto the side of the road to view the solar eclipse, and don’t drive wearing your eclipse glasses.
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