ARDOT posts traffic plan for the April 2024 solar eclipse

An estimated 2 million people will drive in and around Arkansas on April 8, 2024, to see the total solar eclipse. Such movement will result in an estimated 700,000 extra vehicle trips, according to a traffic management plan from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). “We expect a heavy influx of visitors to our state to view this rare phenomenon, and we’re preparing accordingly,” ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor noted in the report posted Monday.

By: Talk Business & Politics staff

An estimated 2 million people will drive in and around Arkansas on April 8, 2024, to see the total solar eclipse. Such movement will result in an estimated 700,000 extra vehicle trips, according to a traffic management plan from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT).

When the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth on April 8, a 117.9-mile-wide “shadow” will move northeast from the southwest corner of Arkansas at around 1:46 p.m. and exit the state around 2 p.m. near Pocahontas. The period of darkness for any location is estimated to last around 4 minutes. According to NASA, the next total solar eclipse to travel across the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044.

“We expect a heavy influx of visitors to our state to view this rare phenomenon, and we’re preparing accordingly,” ARDOT Director Lorie Tudor noted in the report posted Monday (Dec. 18). “Our goal is to get everyone where they need to go as safely and efficiently as possible.”

ARDOT used data from states in the path of the 2017 total solar eclipse and state park reservation data for the upcoming eclipse to develop its traffic management plan. The plan includes traffic forecasting data, traffic reduction strategies, and traffic flow enhancements. The traffic reduction strategies include working from home, school closings, and working with trucking companies to reduce or redirect freight traffic.

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