WSDOT: Eclipse traffic expected to impact next week’s work commute

TACOMA, Wash. – Concerts, soccer matches, highway construction will likely make for a busy weekend on Western Washington roadways.

Add to that the 1 million people expected to head to Oregon for the full solar eclipse.

Even families who chose to stay at home to watch the eclipse could get caught up the traffic backups next week, thanks to folks returning from Oregon, according to transportation officials.

“We just don’t know what to expect, but we want people to not be surprised and to not think they’re the only ones going to central Oregon,” said WSDOT’s Harmony Weinberg.

“We’ll watch it from the house and wait for everything to die down,” said Tacoma’s Bryan Harris.

He said his family considered heading to central Oregon on Monday morning but he changed his mind after seeing the traffic already piling up days before the eclipse.

“We were going to load up everybody and head down there, but I’ve been hearing all the reports on the news of pandemonium and chaos,” he said.

WSDOT and the Washington State Patrol is warning drivers to stock up on essentials for those who decide to brave the trek to Oregon for Monday’s eclipse.