Expect Missouri roads to be busier than normal the days leading up to the solar eclipse — just how busy remains to be seen.
More than a million out-of-state visitors will pack Missouri’s roads over the four-day weekend, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Worst case scenarios would be traffic jams on the highways leading into cities that are prime viewing of what for many will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
“Our bottom line is, honestly, we don’t know how many people will be here, and we don’t really know what traffic is going to be,” said Beth Carmichael, director of project development for the St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We do anticipate that traffic will be very dense.”
Because the path of the eclipse cuts across the central Missouri, many highways and interstates in Missouri could be jammed, including I-70, I-44, I-55, U.S. 50, U.S. 54, U.S. 63 and U.S. 67.
“The people who are calling us and emailing asking us those questions are the ones who really want to be here and experience it,” Carmichael said. “We want them on site and ready to go so they can have that once-in-a-lifetime experience in St. Joseph.”
Residents and visitors alike are being told that they can expect temporary inconveniences on the day of the eclipse.