COLUMBUS, Ind. – Unless you have been under a rock, you know that Columbus and Bartholomew County are in the direct path of totality for this Monday’s Total Solar Eclipse. The community expects 50,000-200,000 visitors during the weekend before and the day of the eclipse.
There are several special local events associated with the eclipse during the Friday through Monday period. For details, visit columbus.in.gov/eclipse/ or the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Bartholomew County Facebook page.
Eclipse day will be anything but a normal day. With that in mind, there are many preparations that the County and City are making to prepare for the influx of visitors.
There is important information that city/county officials want you to know about April 8.
- All City of Columbus and Bartholomew County offices and buildings will be closed.
- There will be no Columbus curbside collections on Monday, April 8. They will be delayed by one day, with Friday’s pickups on Saturday, April 13.
- Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, Flat Rock–Hawcreek School Corporation, IU Columbus, Ivy Tech, Purdue Polytechnic, and the Columbus Learning Center will be closed.
- Traffic will be congested throughout the weekend before, and specifically on, Monday, April 8.
- It will be difficult for employees to travel to and from work promptly. Employers might consider adjusting shifts or shutting down. For more information on business logistics, contact Jody Coffman at jcoffman@columbus.in.gov or 812-669-5302.
- Everyday tasks (grocery shopping, medical appointments, and more) will be difficult to complete because of extra traffic. You should complete errands in advance of the weekend.
- Consider other modes of transportation to local events, such as walking or riding bikes. This will help with traffic congestion.
- ColumBUS will run limited routes from Saturday, April 6 through Monday, April 8. Please plan accordingly. Special routes will be established to events downtown and at AirPark Columbus.
- Residents are reminded to avoid calling 911 unless it is a true emergency.
- For inquiries on events, area information, traffic, and more, call 812-669-5305.
- For lodging and event information, visit the Columbus Visitors Center website, and follow us on Facebook for up-to-date information throughout the weekend.