Eclipse 2017: The Best Time to Hit the Roads
When it comes to bottleneck traffic, one of the worst offenders is the stretch of construction along Interstate 15 near the S. 5th Ave. exit in Pocatello.
Coupled with the influx of cars crammed onto I15 during the Eclipse weekend, traffic could be heavy.
Although some drivers anticipate waiting hours on the interstate in order to get to the Idaho Falls and Rexburg areas for Monday’s eclipse, there’s also a chance, that might not happen.
The Idaho Transportation Department said crews will halt construction between Saturday and Monday, to help keep traffic moving along. Two lanes of travel in both directions will all be open for the weekend.
However, ITD and Idaho State Police anticipate Friday to be the busiest travel day, and Sunday being the lightest.
ISP’s Captain Eric Dayley said this is something neither ITD or ISP could predict just how crowded the roads will be until the day of the eclipse.
“An event in this area of this potential magnitude has not happened in my 33-year career,” Dayley said. “I can’t think of anything that has been at this scale.”
He said every ISP officer in the region will be out working that day, staged roughly every 15 miles.
ISP will be working with other agencies to make sure the roads are clear. He said ITD will also help staff vehicles along the interstate for any quick-clearance situations that might arise.
“We want people to come to the area, have an enjoyable time, and have this be a great success,” Dayley added.
In order to prepare for a heavy traffic load, if the roads become as congested as anticipated, Dayley said officers will treat accident scenes like they would during a blizzard situation.
“We’ll clear the lanes, get people to safety, and tow the car later,” Dayley described, if a tow truck happened to be needed.
Both ISP and ITD are also reminding people to stay patient during this travel time. Also, if possible, use alternate routes such as Interstate 91, which could take you from Chubbuck to Idaho Falls without ever needing to hop onto I-15.
