Eclipse traffic nightmare in central Oregon

Prineville, Ore. – Normally quiet country backroads are now experiencing bumper-to-bumper traffic thanks to Oregon eclipse travelers, according to Oregon State Police.

On Thursday morning, OSP shared photos of an 8-mile traffic backup on Highway 26 east of Prineville.

The Oregon Department of Transportation is working to adjust the few traffic lights through the normally quiet town in order to let traffic move more smoothly.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, OSP said 800 cars an hour were tracked driving to the nearby Symbiosis eclipse festival.

Prineville police said 30,000 people are expected to attend the festival that starts Thursday.

If ODOT projections hold true this is just a view of the weekend to come, with an expected 1 million visitors headed to Oregon to view the eclipse.

ODOT is urging the travelers to be patient and prepared. This appears to be just the beginning.

Check http://www.tripcheck.com for the latest traffic conditions.

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