Come April 8th, millions of people will intentionally remain in the dark. That's the day the moon slides between the Earth and the sun, causing a solar eclipse and turning day into night for a few minutes.
The only way to experience the full effects of a solar eclipse is to enter the path of totality. In North America, this area extends from Mazatlan, Mexico, through 13 states in the United States, from Texas and Maine, to the Maritime provinces of Canada. It's a long road, but it's only about 115 miles wide.
According to Transportation Research News, during the previous solar eclipse that passed through North America in 2017, approximately 5 million people traveled from the path of the total solar eclipse to view the phenomenon, but this time the number of eclipse tourists has increased. It is expected that the number will be much higher.
“This eclipse will be twice as long. The area that people will be able to see will be much larger, and the best part is that it will pass through some of the most populated areas in the country.” said Tim Menard, founder and CEO of traffic management technology company LYT, in an interview.
Many states with totality underway are making plans to deal with the expected large number of motorists that will cause traffic congestion and delays on routes to and from the best viewing spots.
New York State Department of Transportation Secretary Marie Therese said, “We closely monitor roads at traffic management centers throughout New York State to quickly identify and respond to accidents, and to provide assistance to impaired drivers.'' We plan to send additional help vehicles to the scene.” Dominguez is listed on the state's website. “NYSDOT will continue to communicate and update drivers through 511NY, social media, and variable message signs to keep the public informed.”
The Arkansas Department of Transportation estimates that up to 1.5 million people are expected to move from out of state, and an additional 500,000 Arkansans will pursue the path to wholeness from their home states. As a result, it is estimated that the number of vehicle movements will increase by 700,000 times.
To manage this, ARDOT plans to use the Traffic Management Center (TMC) as a central hub for all transportation-related activities on the state highway system.
“The TMC will collect live information from cameras, ground personnel, and online sources before, during, and after the eclipse. The TMC will then share that information with reporting crews, along with possible countermeasures if necessary. , enforcement personnel, and emergency responders,” the TMC website said.
Total road in Texas.
Texas Department of Transportation
In Texas, with 480 miles of highways and the longest total route, “multiple state agencies are working together to respond to emergencies and prepare for increased traffic. TxDOT crews are safely navigating traffic. “We have equipment and traffic signs to guide you and will be available 24 hours a day during the event,” the Texas Department of Transportation's website states.
TxDOT is also preparing highway signs to share messages such as “Do not stop on the highway to view the eclipse” and “No shoulder parking. Keep going.” Stated.
What all these plans have in common is the use of technology in combination with signage and enhanced law enforcement to deal with the expected deluge.
However, this is advanced technology that uses artificial intelligence and is likely to play a larger role than during the 2017 solar eclipse.
Specializing in traffic management technology, LYT focuses on regulating traffic flow, access for emergency vehicles, and even addressing the effects of severe weather.
One technology tactic is to deal with so-called emergency vehicle pre-emptive strikes, coordinating signal changes to match vehicles rushing to the scene.
“With this approach that LYT brings, as soon as a 911 call comes in, we know where the caller is. We know which responders are going to start, and all of a sudden the transit system goes into response mode. I can come in, which means I can get out of the way and start moving forward with things,” Menard said. “So, right now we just have the technology to enable self-adjustment. So communities that are looking to introduce more computerized actuation can continue to meet and exceed community expectations with the same people.” That means it's a big deal.”
It's all about using technology to predict evolving traffic conditions and adjust traffic signals in response to keep things moving.
But the fact remains that when millions of people want to be in the same relative space at about the same time, there is no way to completely avoid traffic jams. In that case, Menards and various state transportation agencies recommend using public transportation whenever possible.
That doesn't mean there aren't tie-ups, but Menard advises, “If you're in your own private car, you're going to be competing with everyone else.”
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