State transportation officials are urging you to begin making plans now for how you will get around on April 8th during the total solar eclipse.

The Indiana State Police and Indiana Department of Transportation says that more than 4 million Hoosiers live in the path of totality, where the moon will completely obscure the sun that day. The track through Indiana stretches from Evansville, through our area all the way to Fort Wayne.

The centerline falls along communities like Bloomington, Seymour, Nashville, Columbus, Franklin and Greensburg. Hundreds of thousands of eclipse tourists are expected along that line.

State officials say that Increased traffic and congestion are expected as residents and tourists alike make their way to viewing destinations. If at all possible you should avoid travel during the eclipse. They suggest that if you have to be on the road during the eclipse, that you pack plenty of snacks and water, as well as charging cables for devices, as you could become stranded or stuck in traffic. To prepare, you should also make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas and top off fluids before you head out.

If you are on the road at the time of the eclipse, you should exit the roadway altogether to view the eclipse. Do not stop along highways or on the shoulder to view the solar event.

And do not take photos or videos while you are driving. They want to remind you that Indiana is a hands-free state for mobile devices and holding a phone or tablet while driving is against the law.

Other tips from the state agencies:

• Do not wear eclipse glasses while driving.
• Turn on your headlights. Do not rely on automatic lights.
• Watch for pedestrians, especially along secondary roads.
• If celebrating, ensure everyone has a safe and sober way to return home. Designate a sober driver or arrange for alternate transportation.
• Exercise patience when leaving your viewing location as traffic may be heavy. Follow instructions from law enforcement or emergency personnel and be considerate of fellow drivers.
• Stay put and stick around to avoid the post-event rush.

To plan your route and monitor traffic conditions you can check INDOT TrafficWise on the INDOT mobile app or go to 511in.org

Local emergency officials and event planners are working toward a smooth day for the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8th.

A swath of Indiana will be in the path of totality, meaning the sun will be completely obscured while the moon passes in front of it. In Bartholomew County, that is going to happen at 3:06 p.m. that afternoon. Area communities will have some of the longest periods of total eclipse in Indiana that day, with Franklin at 4 minutes and two seconds, Columbus at 3 minutes and 44 seconds and Greensburg at 3 minutes and 32 seconds.

Because of the rarity of the solar phenomena, visitors are expected to flock to our area, temporarily doubling the size of our communities and tying up traffic. The influx is expected to begin on Friday, April 5th.

Jody Coffman, with the city of Columbus, explains:

Columbus and Bartholomew County government offices will be closed on April 8th. Schools will also be closed including Bartholomew Consolidated, Flat Rock-Hawcreek, IUPUC, Ivy Tech Columbus, Purdue Polytechnic and the Columbus Learning Center.

Eclipse event planners are asked to coordinate with the Columbus Area Visitors Center to promote your activities through a central community calendar. You can find the calendar at columbus.in.us/eclipse and find more information on Facebook at 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Bartholomew County.

The U.S. Forest Service is soon opening up the last block of campsite reservations for Hoosier National Forest campgrounds during the April total solar eclipse.

According to the agency, all developed campground campsites will be available by reservation only from March 29th through April 10th. That is due to the high number of visitors expected in southern Indiana to view the eclipse. This includes campsites which have previously been designated as first come, first served. The agency says the sites are expected to fill quickly.

The reservations are being phased in with the final batch of seven campgrounds opening up for reservations on Monday, February 5th. Those include Blackwell, Hickory Ridge, Shirley Creek, Youngs Creek, Saddle Lake, Buzzard Roost and German Ridge.

Camping fees will be waived at German Ridge and Saddle Lake during the eclipse reservation period. The other campgrounds have no fees to camp. However there is a $8 service fee for each reservation made online.

You can make a reservation at https://www.recreation.gov

The eclipse is Monday April 8th and the path will encompass most of the Hoosier National Forest. The next full solar eclipse in our area will be August of 2044.

Hickory Ridge Campground near Norman. Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service.

Bartholomew County emergency workers and other officials will be prepared for the upcoming solar eclipse, under a plan for eclipse viewing glasses approved by the county commissioners Monday.

Bartholomew County Emergency Management Director Shannan Cooke asked the commissioners to ratify a purchase made for the shaded glasses to arrive in time for the April 8th total eclipse. Cooke said that three bids were received to purchase the glasses, but one was not certified as safe for eclipse viewing and another could not guarantee the glasses would arrive in time for the event.

Cooke said that the plan is to distribute the glasses to emergency workers and county employees. They will also be made available to organizers of events that day to be held in the county, as opposed to events in the city limits.

The commissioners approved the spending of just over $5,500 for the glasses. Cooke said the money was coming from leftover funds from the previous year and a grant from Duke Energy specifically for eclipse related purchases.

If you are a poet with a fascination with the upcoming total solar eclipse, the Indiana Humanities group is looking for your submission.

The group is going to select an official poet for the April 8th event. The poem that best reflects the significance of the eclipse will earn the poet $500, the opportunity to read the poem during an eclipse watch party in Indianapolis and to have their work featured on Indiana Humanities’ website and social media. There will also be a second place prize of $200 and a third place prize of $100. Those poets will also be invited to read their work at the April 8 event.

The deadline to send in your work is February 9th and winners will be chosen by March 1st. You can find more information on signing up here: https://indianahumanities.org/2024/01/04/eclipse24/

The U.S. Forest Service is going to begin taking reservations later this week for Hoosier National Forest campgrounds during the April total solar eclipse.

According to the agency, all developed campground campsites will be available by reservation only from March 29th through April 10th. That is due to the high number of visitors expected in southern Indiana to view the eclipse. This includes campsites which have previously been designated as first come, first served. The agency says the sites are expected to fill quickly.

The reservations will be phased in with the first batch including Blackwell, Hickory Ridge, Shirley Creek, Youngs Creek, Saddle Lake, German Ridge and Buzzard Roost campgrounds. The next phases will be announced through Forest service social media platforms.

According to the agency, the reservations will available starting on Friday at 7 in the morning. You can make a reservation at https://www.recreation.gov

The eclipse is Monday April 8th and the path will encompass most of the Hoosier National Forest. Our area is in the path of totality and visitors will likely double the local population for the weekend. The next full solar eclipse in our area will be August of 2044.

April’s total eclipse of the sun is expected to bring a lot of visitors to our area which will mean traffic tie-ups and other logistical snarls. Local emergency officials are offering tips to businesses on what to expect that day.

The eclipse will pass through our area the afternoon of April 8th, and we will be in the path of totality, meaning the sun will be completely obscured while the moon passes in front of it. That is going to happen at 3:06 p.m. that afternoon in our area. Area communities will have some of the longest periods of total eclipse in Indiana that day, with Franklin at 4 minutes and two seconds, Columbus at 3 minutes and 44 seconds and Greensburg at 3 minutes and 32 seconds and .

Because of the rarity of the solar phenomena, visitors are expected to flock to our area, temporarily doubling the size of our communities, according to the Bartholomew County Emergency Management Department. The agency sent out a list of suggestions to local businesses through the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce this week saying that the influx is expected to begin on Friday, April 5th.

The agency warns that employees will likely be delayed that weekend as they try to get to work, gas stations could see a surge in fuel sales and store stocks could get depleted by the crowds. You should start planning now as the event is just over 90 days away.

Those visitors are expected to start leaving after the last bit of the eclipse ends at 4:23 p.m. that Monday flooding local streets and roads.

Area communities are all making plans for eclipse-related activities and celebrations. You can get more information on Columbus event planning at https://columbus.in.us/eclipse/

You can get more information on emergency management planning at 812-379-1680.

The next total solar eclipse won’t happen in Indiana again until April 2044.

You can download the Bartholomew County Emergency Management solar eclipse information sheet here: https://updates.whiteriverbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Solar-Eclipse.pdf

The Columbus Area Visitor’s Center is looking for your ideas for solar eclipse themed events. The center is offering grants to local non-profits hosting events starting on Friday April 5th through April 8th.

Tourism officials expect tens of thousands of people to flock to Columbus and Bartholomew County the weekend before the celestial event on April 8th. Misty Weisensteiner, executive director of the visitor’s center, said this is a great opportunity to introduce Bartholomew County to a new audience.

According to the center, Indiana won’t be in the path of totality for an eclipse again until 2045.

You can find application information at https://columbus.in.us/grants-info/

Image courtesy of NASA

Several local organizations are receiving micro grants through IU to plan for activities during next April’s total solar eclipse.

The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement announced 30 grants of up to $2,000 being awarded for its eclipse initiative. More than 80 organizations applied for the grants.

Among those receiving funds are Main Street of Hope, which plans to host a three three-day solar eclipse festival on the town square featuring science and art projects, live music, games and food. Edinburgh will host a daylong celebration featuring chalk art, live music, handcrafted items and a collaborative community mural painting. In Shelby County, the Blue River Community Foundation will install an asphalt mural depicting the sun as part of an existing public art piece with a community walk and a communal art project.

At 3:04 in the afternoon on Monday April 8th, part of Indiana will be in complete darkness for four minutes as the moon shadows the sun and falls under the path of totality.

Shelby County is getting in on the planning for next year’s solar eclipse.

Central and southern Indiana will be at the center of the April 8th total eclipse. Our area will have nearly four minutes of darkness as the moon’s shadow passes over the earth.

Local officials say that there will be 10s of thousands of people flocking to our area for the viewing.

The Shelby County Eclipse Planning Committee will be hosting its first Community Eclipse Meeting tonight.

The Eclipse Planning Committee will provide members of the community with information on what to expect during a solar eclipse and the potential economic impact in the community. The meeting will also feature a brief presentation by eclipse expert and Ivy Tech Assistant Professor of Mathematics & Physics, Cyrus Screwvala.

Tonight’s meeting will be at 6 p.m. at the Shelby County Courthouse Annex. That’s on Polk Street. the meeting is free and you are invited to attend.

If you can’t make it, the event will be streamed through the Eclipse IN Shelby Facebook Page.

Photo courtesy of https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/internal_resources/5422/