TOLEDO, Ohio —
With hundreds of thousands of visitors expected in Ohio on the day of the eclipse, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Turnpike are ready to have more resources on the road to help with traffic.
Charles Cyrill, the communications director for the Ohio Turnpike Commission, said the turnpike normally sees 139,000 drivers per day. Cyrill said the Ohio Emergency Management Agency is predicting anywhere between 200,000 to 600,000 travelers statewide.
To prepare for the increase in travelers, the service plazas will have increased inventories, extended hours and increased gasoline inventories.
OSHP is ready to have extra troopers on the road to help manage the increase in traffic.
"The maintenance crews will be working 12-hour shifts, so they'll be out helping people get moved along," post commander of the Swanton highway patrol post, Brent Meredith said.
It's safe for people to drive during the eclipse, according to Meredith, but it will be an added distraction.
"Our biggest message is don't stop along the highway, that is one of the most dangerous things that people do on the expressways," Meredith said. "Many of our fatal crashes occur because somebody pulls off to check something, to look at something, and somebody's not paying attention, drives off the roadway and hits them."
If people want to stop and see the eclipse, Meredith said people should plan ahead to be at a location. Stopping on the interstate is illegal and people driving during the eclipse should not have on eclipse glasses.
"Don't look at the sun," Meredith said. "Pay attention to your driving. We want people to be safe and to take that distraction away."
Meredith said a lot of the traffic is expected to be between 5 and 6 p.m. Monday, similar to a holiday weekend when travelers are trying to get home.
There are expected to be delays, so Meredith and Cyrill said to plan ahead.