Eclipse traffic already heavy in central Oregon

Traffic is already a headache in central Oregon as thousands of people arrive before Monday’s total solar eclipse.

Traffic was backed up early Thursday on U.S. Highway 26 west of Prineville, the last town before the turnoff for an eclipse-themed festival that’s expected to attract 30,000 people in a remote area with narrow, one-lane roads. A handful of gas stations in Bend and Prineville also temporarily ran out of fuel Wednesday before getting restocked.

In Madras, to the north, traffic was also picking up Thursday but so far there were no traffic jams. The town of about 6,000 is considered one of the best viewing locations in the nation and is expecting at least 100,000 people to pass through over the next four days.