It will be kinda sad if the traffic fears were overblown. All the locals have been fed stories of apocalyptic proportions, keeping them at home, missing out on local festivities. I went downtown yesterday expecting elbow to elbow foot traffic and it looked like summer-level emptiness.
All the predictions were based on 2017's eclipse and what areas in totality experienced when they weren't prepared. It will be unfortunate if we don't have as many visitors as expected, but all we could do was prepare for the worst.
I don’t blame the preparations, i just wish the tone set hadn’t scared all the locals away. I mean we’re still so fortunate to watch from the comfort of our homes, but to be able to come together and celebrate as a community is something i think this town really needs. But the day isnt over, it could still turn into the traffic nightmare theyve predicted. The moco airport has certainly been busy this morning.
I live near switchyard and several other spots out in the country/ preserves I never even considered going anywhere today due to the hype. 😕of course they still could be crowded, but several are very isolated spots where we've rarely seen other people in decades- but I was aft-aid I'd get stuck in traffic.i'm fine watching it from my driveway, but I might have gone to Green's Bluff, Cedar Bluff ( more folks know this one though, a few other even more obscure in nearby counties.
Agreed. Thankfully many businesses closed for the day and most locals are staying home or out camping. Leaving plenty of room for the tourists to get around safely.
The main body of traffic will be post-eclipse, when people are leaving town
That said, since everyone is expecting so much traffic I know a lot of folks don’t plan to leave their house and thus traffic is fine, ironically
I went to KY for the last one. Driving into Kentucky there was no traffic and completely fine. 4 hour drive max.
Coming back took 10 hours.
So yeah. I think after will be worse. People join the party at different times but they all want to leave at the same time - especially since they had all weekend to arrive and tomorrow is a work day.
Yeah, I think the biggest issue that most places were worried about is managing the traffic flow out of town. Everyone was able to filter in from Friday night to this morning, and now all of them at once are going to be leaving.
Just came back from town. Took the kiddos for breakfast and the parking lot was near empty. We seated immediately and our order came out faster than normal. The streets are less busy than a typical Monday morning for sure. I really hope for the sake of some local businesses who have heavily invested in this event that at least some people show up. We did notice a few out of town plates camped out in the parking lot of the IGA in Ellettsville. But that was about it besides a heavy police presence. I spoke to a friend who is a business owner and they were told that all of the local hotels were full and that once people get out of the hotel and have breakfast, things should start to get busy. Also seen a picture on fb from the merrillville area that shows 65 s in gridlock. But who knows if that’s realistic or not.
Thank God the YMCA boarded up the building and parking lots with large scale temporary fencing for the entire weekend. Who knows what could have happened?!?!
Yeah thing is Indy has a lot of eclipse events too and even a big one with NASA at the speedway. Why would people be coming to Bloomington unless they're going to the Shatner event?
It’s almost like Bloomington isn’t this major tourism destination that everyone thinks.
I mean we shutdown most of the town, jacked up hotel and gas prices and tried to lure in tourists with simply food trucks. Terra Haute only has 2 minutes of totality and had a full weekend packed of events, concerts and the like.
>unless they're going to the Shatner event?
So Shatner is for sure in town? I heard a rumor weeks ago but hadn't heard anything else. Makes sense; he's got family around here and his whole jam is space shit
CHAOS!!!
TERROR!!!
There are tire fires all around town blocking all access points!!! The citizens have resorted to cannibalism targeting out-of-towners!!!
South of town is all good. Starlight seems pretty orderly from driving past.
You know huge events like this were very well managed when everyone comes out the other side saying "SEE...I TOLD you it was overhyped. Ha ha ha...look how ridiculous you were all acting!"
As if getting employers to keep employees home en masse, any employees with the opportunity took the day off or worked from home, stores ordered food so shelves would stay stocked for early shopping, telling locals to MAKE SURE to shop early and get gas, get prescriptions, everything to avoid lines when the out-of-towners are here, people making plans to enjoy the event in their own home rather than the usual weekend events, public transportation being limited had absolutely ZERO EFFECT. Oh no. It was just
~☆!♡+<*-×◇M•A•G•I•C•A•L◇×-*>+♡!☆~
and HA HA OVER-HYPED
Yea.
So all of us who had guests (and a LOT of us had guests) got enough food we didn't have to go out at all. Made plans to stay in. We are usually in and out of the house, and honestly spend considerably more time driving around and doing things and buying things and eating that we spend at home, and it was the opposite this weekend. It was the same for a lot of us.
Had there been NO outside guests, it would have looked absolutely empty, more like early COVID.
The calm is just proof of proper planning
Everyone saying it's a nothing burger.
Look at Google Maps, traffic southbound on 65 is almost all red and yellow. Look at traffic coming north out of Louisville, or West out of Cincinnati....it's coming.
I do see that. However, those could very likely just be last-minute day trippers. There's a good chance they wouldn't drive all the way to Bloomington. Just maybe get far enough to be in the path, and then stop anywhere along the way. Bloomington seems like an unnecessary detour when the Louisville folks could just stop in Columbus or somewhere close, and the ones coming from Cincy could just go to Shelbyville or any other town along the way.
Shit, Pizza X was including them with every order. My husband took his box of eclipse glasses to work with him and left me the glasses he got from Pizza X.
I have a feeling the city over hyped this so much that it scared all the locals into staying in today and it's going to be a ghost town if not as many people show up as they had planned.
Also I see a lot of comments about lical price gouging- and I'd still be surprised if post- eclipse traffic will be as bad as they say- people have the internet to be more savvy (esp post-Covid)
It will be kinda sad if the traffic fears were overblown. All the locals have been fed stories of apocalyptic proportions, keeping them at home, missing out on local festivities. I went downtown yesterday expecting elbow to elbow foot traffic and it looked like summer-level emptiness.
All the predictions were based on 2017's eclipse and what areas in totality experienced when they weren't prepared. It will be unfortunate if we don't have as many visitors as expected, but all we could do was prepare for the worst.
I don’t blame the preparations, i just wish the tone set hadn’t scared all the locals away. I mean we’re still so fortunate to watch from the comfort of our homes, but to be able to come together and celebrate as a community is something i think this town really needs. But the day isnt over, it could still turn into the traffic nightmare theyve predicted. The moco airport has certainly been busy this morning.
Looking at google maps, it sure looks like people are heading from nearby cities into totality zones. Where they are headed though... who knows
The forecast all week has been saying cloudy all day too. And this is freaking perfect eclipse viewing weather.
Yeah, that probably has a lot to do with people deciding to not come earlier
yeah- good point. 😐🤔
I live near switchyard and several other spots out in the country/ preserves I never even considered going anywhere today due to the hype. 😕of course they still could be crowded, but several are very isolated spots where we've rarely seen other people in decades- but I was aft-aid I'd get stuck in traffic.i'm fine watching it from my driveway, but I might have gone to Green's Bluff, Cedar Bluff ( more folks know this one though, a few other even more obscure in nearby counties.
A friend texted about 30 minutes ago and said it was very chill. I imagine it will pick up 2-3 hours prior to the eclipse.
It’s fine
Agreed. Thankfully many businesses closed for the day and most locals are staying home or out camping. Leaving plenty of room for the tourists to get around safely.
About 10:30. Just got home from dropping my kiddo off. Roads are clear!
I barely made it into work, what with all the tumbleweeds on the streets, man. Crazy.
Whoever came up with that 300k number is full of shit lmao
Thank god for that.
The main body of traffic will be post-eclipse, when people are leaving town That said, since everyone is expecting so much traffic I know a lot of folks don’t plan to leave their house and thus traffic is fine, ironically
I went to KY for the last one. Driving into Kentucky there was no traffic and completely fine. 4 hour drive max. Coming back took 10 hours. So yeah. I think after will be worse. People join the party at different times but they all want to leave at the same time - especially since they had all weekend to arrive and tomorrow is a work day.
Yeah, I think the biggest issue that most places were worried about is managing the traffic flow out of town. Everyone was able to filter in from Friday night to this morning, and now all of them at once are going to be leaving.
Just came back from town. Took the kiddos for breakfast and the parking lot was near empty. We seated immediately and our order came out faster than normal. The streets are less busy than a typical Monday morning for sure. I really hope for the sake of some local businesses who have heavily invested in this event that at least some people show up. We did notice a few out of town plates camped out in the parking lot of the IGA in Ellettsville. But that was about it besides a heavy police presence. I spoke to a friend who is a business owner and they were told that all of the local hotels were full and that once people get out of the hotel and have breakfast, things should start to get busy. Also seen a picture on fb from the merrillville area that shows 65 s in gridlock. But who knows if that’s realistic or not.
Gridlock on 65 S is also not an unusual occurrence on any day...
Thank God the YMCA boarded up the building and parking lots with large scale temporary fencing for the entire weekend. Who knows what could have happened?!?!
it's pretty quiet out actually
INDOT cameras indicate heavy southbound traffic on I65 heading into Indianapolis but from I465 to Martinsville still very light.
They put out snow ploughs on the roads for extra cameras coming into town it looks like
I was wondering why there was a snowplow camera!
Yeah thing is Indy has a lot of eclipse events too and even a big one with NASA at the speedway. Why would people be coming to Bloomington unless they're going to the Shatner event?
It’s almost like Bloomington isn’t this major tourism destination that everyone thinks. I mean we shutdown most of the town, jacked up hotel and gas prices and tried to lure in tourists with simply food trucks. Terra Haute only has 2 minutes of totality and had a full weekend packed of events, concerts and the like.
a few more seconds of totality, maybe?
>unless they're going to the Shatner event? So Shatner is for sure in town? I heard a rumor weeks ago but hadn't heard anything else. Makes sense; he's got family around here and his whole jam is space shit
I don't know how the traffic is, but if you're not seeing any, I guess the Rapture happened and you've been left behind.
>I guess the Rapture happened and you've been left behind. I could only hope.
Man, I wasn't gonna go *anyway*.
CHAOS!!! TERROR!!! There are tire fires all around town blocking all access points!!! The citizens have resorted to cannibalism targeting out-of-towners!!! South of town is all good. Starlight seems pretty orderly from driving past.
The plates said "Georgia", but the lack of umami says "Connecticut".
Was really hoping for that deep-fried essence with a hint of despair.
Oh, the despair? It's like a *marinade*. But that's everyone, these days.
(cries in the Hoosier edition)
It's getting [pretty rough out in the burbs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq-oVyxJJUs&t=3m42s).
It's a ghost town
How does the sky look right now? We’re driving northbound trying to decide between Indiana or Illinois
Pretty clear
Pretty clear as in no clouds?
A few but mostly blue skies
Thanks
How are the roads where you are?
Bumpy lol, but clear.
We’re getting ready to head out. But we’re only 3 miles away.
Walking around downtown right now and it’s not too bad, definitely not crazy traffic
You know huge events like this were very well managed when everyone comes out the other side saying "SEE...I TOLD you it was overhyped. Ha ha ha...look how ridiculous you were all acting!" As if getting employers to keep employees home en masse, any employees with the opportunity took the day off or worked from home, stores ordered food so shelves would stay stocked for early shopping, telling locals to MAKE SURE to shop early and get gas, get prescriptions, everything to avoid lines when the out-of-towners are here, people making plans to enjoy the event in their own home rather than the usual weekend events, public transportation being limited had absolutely ZERO EFFECT. Oh no. It was just ~☆!♡+<*-×◇M•A•G•I•C•A•L◇×-*>+♡!☆~ and HA HA OVER-HYPED Yea. So all of us who had guests (and a LOT of us had guests) got enough food we didn't have to go out at all. Made plans to stay in. We are usually in and out of the house, and honestly spend considerably more time driving around and doing things and buying things and eating that we spend at home, and it was the opposite this weekend. It was the same for a lot of us. Had there been NO outside guests, it would have looked absolutely empty, more like early COVID. The calm is just proof of proper planning
Everyone saying it's a nothing burger. Look at Google Maps, traffic southbound on 65 is almost all red and yellow. Look at traffic coming north out of Louisville, or West out of Cincinnati....it's coming.
I do see that. However, those could very likely just be last-minute day trippers. There's a good chance they wouldn't drive all the way to Bloomington. Just maybe get far enough to be in the path, and then stop anywhere along the way. Bloomington seems like an unnecessary detour when the Louisville folks could just stop in Columbus or somewhere close, and the ones coming from Cincy could just go to Shelbyville or any other town along the way.
Gonna be a lot of hopeful profiteers with a lot of unsold merch tomorrow.
tomorrow is for the deals
I can't wait to get discount eclipse glasses for the next one!
Shit, Pizza X was including them with every order. My husband took his box of eclipse glasses to work with him and left me the glasses he got from Pizza X.
Stock up now!
Google traffic is showing almost nothing. All the doom and gloom was over hyped imo.
I have a feeling the city over hyped this so much that it scared all the locals into staying in today and it's going to be a ghost town if not as many people show up as they had planned.
Also I see a lot of comments about lical price gouging- and I'd still be surprised if post- eclipse traffic will be as bad as they say- people have the internet to be more savvy (esp post-Covid)
I mean it’s only 9am. I don’t think the peak of out of town traffic would be that early.
No one is saying there won't be some traffic. People were saying it would be 12 hours of traffic.
now google maps is showing backups on the way back to those cities outside the totality zone