Near the border of Wyoming traffic on northbound Interstate-25 is already heavy as travelers seek prime viewing spots for the total eclipse.
A camera positioned just seven/tenths of a mile south of the Wyoming showed traffic bunching up in Northern Colorado at 6:15 a.m.
“It’s been wall-to-wall traffic. So far we’ve avoided major accidents,” said Sgt. Kyle McKay, spokesman for the Wyoming Highway Patrol. “In Cheyenne it’s stop-and-go traffic.”
The upswing in traffic in Wyoming, where eclipse totality is expected in places including Casper and the Glendo Reservoir, began on Wednesday with people heading to the state from around the country and across Europe including Slovakia, McKay said.
He credited the low accident totals to the fact that people can’t drive fast enough on the highway for there to be major, high-speed accidents.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation reported that traffic counts increased by more than 30,000 on Wednesday. The average daily traffic count increased every day since then. On Thursday there were 45,000 vehicles more than usual, on Friday 74,000 above normal, on Saturday 131,000 vehicles more than usual and on Sunday 217,000 above normal.
WDOT is warning eclipse travelers to make sure their car’s gas tanks are full.
“There are many areas in Wyoming where there are long distances between gas stations. Plan travel accordingly,” WYDOT warns.
Wyoming officials also caution drivers not to wear eclipse glasses while driving but have one handy.
“Do not camp or park on private property without permission,” WYDOT says. “Don’t stop and pull off onto the side of the roads during the eclipse. It’s illegal to park on the shoulders or in any ditch areas.”
And beware of reckless eclipse-focused drivers.
“Pay attention, and don’t drive distracted. Drive defensively because there will be more motorists on the road, and some of them may be slowing down or may not be paying attention when the eclipse is occurring,” WYDOT warns.