ARKANSAS, USA — The total solar eclipse is one month away, and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and Arkansas State Police (ASP) have teamed up to make sure traffic runs as smoothly and safely as possible on April 8th, when Arkansas could see millions of tourists.
“We've been working with ARDOT the past couple of years on making sure we get the right message out,” Capt. Brad Lann with ASP said. “If there is an accident that happens, then we're going to do our best to get it cleared off the roadway as quickly as possible.”
Along with traffic management plans, both agencies plan to have crews posted along the major interstates.
“All 10 districts will have their maintenance workers, about 200 to 250 each district,” Dave Parker, spokesperson for ARDOT said. “Those people will be deployed around their particular district, their county, their town …. Just really to react if we get word that a highway is backed up or if there's been an accident.”
ASP will be monitoring the whole state from its command center in Little Rock and the Department of Emergency Management.
“We will have a representative in there to communicate any law enforcement needs or traffic issues," Lann said. "Or if the smaller agencies need to request additional help from the state, then we can arrange that."
Lann said many of the counties across the area will also have command centers set up on the day of the eclipse.
To help with the flow of traffic, Parker advises people to prepare for driving on April 8th like they would for driving in a snowstorm.
“If it takes you 25 minutes to get to work that Monday morning, it may take you double that. If you need to be home that afternoon ... you should plan on a little more time,” Parker said.
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