As the Solar Eclipse of 2017 nears, on August 21st, 2017, citizens and visitors of Linn County, Oregon are encouraged to plan ahead, and prepare for this historically wonderful event. The “Path of Totality” is a 62-mile-wide strip where the sun will go completely dark. What is exciting for Linn County, is that nearly the entire county will be in darkness. Anyone viewing the solar eclipse from within Linn County will witness a corona, where the sun’s light extends out from the darkness of the moon. Oregon will be the first State to experience the total eclipse in the entire country, when the path touches land at approximately 10:15 am on the Oregon coast. The path will continue across Oregon, and be completed in a matter of minutes.
It is very important that everyone prepare for safely viewing the Solar Eclipse of 2017, which can be easily done by reading NASA’s Solar Eclipse Safety Guide.
We want to help answer some questions that commonly come up, and dispel some rumors too.
Our friends over at the Oregon State Police have answered the question of, “Can we stop on the side of the road to look at the Eclipse?”
The simple answer is no.
It is unlawful to stop or park along a highway in Oregon. There are exceptions but a solar eclipse is not one of them. With expectations of high traffic volumes during the week of the eclipse, we are urging motorists to keep traffic flowing and not to stop, even momentarily, along the highway. This is not only for safety of those traveling but emergency vehicles often use the shoulder of the highway. Those who do stop on the shoulder of the highway could be cited or towed.