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On Aug. 21, Illinois — and southern Illinois in particular — will be home to some of the best solar eclipse viewing in the country.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon travels between the Earth and the sun, casting a shadow on the Earth’s surface. An approximately 75-mile area in southern Illinois centered on Carbondale will be treated to a full eclipse — when the moon completely blocks the sun for nearly three minutes. The rest of the state will see a partial eclipse of 85 percent to 90 percent coverage.

Latest Updates

How IDOT is preparing

The Illinois Department of Transportation has been coordinating with other agencies on the state and local levels throughout the spring and summer to make sure the eclipse weekend and viewing events run as smoothly as possible.

IDOT staff will be ready and available if they are needed to assist with traffic detours, communicating travel information and more.

Expect congestion

Crowds of 100,000 to 200,000 are expected to come to the prime viewing areas in southern Illinois. Among the heaviest traveled corridors are anticipated to be U.S. 51 and Illinois 13 corridors, plus Interstate 57. Any lane closures on state projects will be lifted throughout the weekend and the day after the eclipse.

Travel Tips

Viewing Tips

As always, you should never look directly at the sun, especially during an eclipse. To safely view the eclipse, consider:

• Eclipse glasses:

  These special shades are similar to 3D glasses but are certified eclipse-safe for direct viewing. Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe to view the eclipse.

• Solar filters:

  If you want to use a telescope, binoculars or camera, do not use them unprotected even if you have safe eclipse glasses. Consult the manufacturer for a proper filter to attach to your device.

• Pinhole viewer:

  This is a simple, inexpensive way to indirectly view the eclipse. Just take two sheets of white paper (card stock is better) and poke a hole in the middle of one sheet. With your back to the sun, hold the sheet with the hole over the other sheet and adjust them until you see a dot of light. That’s the sun! As the moon travels across the sun, a crescent will appear. 

Resources 

SIU  Carbondale

• Eclipse Website

Souther IL Eclipse Committee

• Eclipse Website

Illinois DNR

• Eclipse Zone Campsite
• Reservations

NASA

• Official Eclipse Viewing
• Location

Citing safety and security recommendations by the Michigan State Police (MSP) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) will close the bridge to most vehicle traffic during the 2017 Annual Bridge Walk on Labor Day.

Unlike in prior years, only buses used to transport walkers to the starting point for the walk and emergency services vehicles will be allowed on the bridge during the event. All other vehicle traffic will be stopped from 6:30 a.m. to noon while event participants are on the bridge.

“This was not a decision the Mackinac Bridge Authority makes lightly. We understand this change will be an inconvenience to our customers traveling Labor Day morning,” said MBA Chairman William Gnodtke. “Our board felt this choice strikes the best balance of keeping this 60-year tradition going for the tens of thousands of visitors who walk the bridge each year and keeping them safe.”

“While there are no known threats to this annual tradition, recent terrorist-related attacks carried out around the globe serve as a reminder to remain alert and vigilant,” stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of MSP and state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “Since 9/11, Michigan has made great strides enhancing the state’s homeland security framework to protect critical infrastructure, key resources and our residents.”

Each year, between 30,000 and 60,000 people from several states and countries come to the Mackinac Bridge for the Annual Bridge Walk, which has taken place since 1958, the year after the bridge opened to traffic.
Roughly 9,000 vehicles cross the bridge during the event hours, with many of them carrying participants in the walk. As before, the two eastern lanes of the bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic before the walk starts. The western two lanes will be open to the buses transporting walkers between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, as well as emergency vehicles.  The event will begin at 6:40 a.m. with the start of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness Jog, followed by a greeting from Gov. Rick Snyder at 6:55 a.m. Walkers will begin across the bridge at 7 a.m.

No walkers will be permitted to begin the walk after 10 a.m., as it takes roughly one-and-a-half hours to complete the crossing. Buses will begin picking up any remaining walkers on the bridge at 11:30 a.m. to ensure the bridge is clear and can reopen to traffic promptly at noon.

Buses will again shuttle participants between Mackinaw City and St. Ignace for the start of the walk, and then back to St. Ignace if needed, starting at 4:30 a.m. The MBA plans to secure additional buses to make sure all
participants can get to the starting area prior to 10 a.m.

Northbound I-75 traffic will be stopped at Exit 337 on the south end of the bridge; southbound US-2 and I-75 traffic will be stopped at Exit 344 on the north side.

The MBA intends to alert motorists of this change through media releases, postings on the MBA website (www.mackinacbridge.org), messages on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) dynamic message sign system, the Mi Drive travel information website (www.michigan.gov/drive), and notifications to customers at the bridge. The MBA will work with MSP to help inform the public and direct traffic the day of the event.

Motorists driving on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis through the Lowry Hill Tunnel will see lane changes this week.

In preparation for the changes, I-94 east will close at the tunnel from midnight until 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4 and traffic will take the Hennepin/Lyndale exit. Interstate 394 east to I-94 east through the tunnel remains open during this tunnel closure.

Early Friday morning, traffic will shift to the westbound side of the tunnel. Drivers will see two lanes in each direction with a concrete barrier in the middle.

The speed limit is 40 mph. Trucks and buses weighing more than 9,000 pounds are prohibited.

Traffic from I-394 east to I-94 east will continue to be able to use the eastbound tunnel until Aug. 14. Then the ramp from I-394 to I-94 east will close until Aug. 28 for improvements.

The following ramps will be closed during this stage:

• I-35W north to I-94 west
• Highway 55 to I-94 east
• Fourth Avenue to I-94 west
• I-94 east to I-35W south

This final stage is expected to be in place until mid-September while crews work on bridges near the Lowry Hill Tunnel and make repairs inside the tunnel.

Please see the project web page for more information including detour maps. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/i94brooklyncntr/

For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or dial 5-1-1.

 www.idot.illinois.gov

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that a full closure on westbound I-270 from the Interstate 55/70/270 interchange near Troy to IL-3 is scheduled to begin on Friday, August 18, weather permitting.
 
Starting at 9 p.m. Friday, westbound I-270 will be closed from the I-55/70/270 interchange to IL-3.  A posted detour will direct traffic to take westbound I-55/70 to northbound I-255 to westbound New Poag Road to southbound IL-3 to access westbound I-270.  Westbound traffic will not be able to travel on I-270, west of the I-55/70/270 interchange.  The closure is necessary for pavement repairs on I-270.
 
The closure is expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, August 21.
 
The contractor on this project is Microsurfacing Contractors, LLC, of Bridgeton, Missouri.
 
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes during construction weekends and anticipate some longer travel times.
 
By utilizing a full expressway closure and keeping construction restricted to the weekend when traffic volumes are down, IDOT aims to reduce the length of time the work zone is needed during heavier traveled weekday periods.
 
Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at http://stl-traffic.org.

For IDOT District 8 updates on Twitter, follow us at http://twitter.com/IDOTDistrict8.

The ramp from I-394 east to I-94 east in Minneapolis will close for two weeks early morning on Monday Aug. 14.

A previous release incorrectly announced the closing date for Tuesday morning.

Crews will start closing the ramp late Sunday, Aug. 13. Motorists will see the ramp closed in time for rush hour Monday, Aug. 14.

Crews will begin reopening the ramp late Aug. 27 in time for rush hour Aug, 28.

The detour is MN-100 south to MN-62 east to I-35W north.

Motorists should plan their routes in advance and give themselves plenty of time to reach their destinations.

The I-394 east ramp to I-94 east leads through the Lowry Hill Tunnel. That has been the only lane open in the eastbound tunnel since Aug. 4.

The closure is so crews can make improvements as part of the I-94 Minneapolis to Brooklyn Center project.

Please see the project web page for more information including detour maps. http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/i94brooklyncntr/

For real-time travel information anywhere in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or dial 5-1-1.