Heavy traffic reported on New Hampshire roads following eclipse

SOME ARE CALLING IT A TRAVEL NIGHTMARE.. <HOW WAS THE TRAFFIC COMING BACK DOWN? ABOUT AS HORRIBLE AS IT WAS DRIVING UP> WHILE OTHERS SAY IT áCOULD BE WORSE... <THE WAY HOME IS ALOT EASIER, EVERYONES MOVING. ITS A LITTLE SLOW BUT ITS MOVING> <ON THE WAY BACK, IT WAS MUCH BETTER> EITHER WAY, PEOPLE DRIVING HOME TONIGHT FROM THE PATH OF TOTALITY IN NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND VERMONT SAY THEY SPENT áHOURS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER, SLOW MOVING MOVING TRAFFIC - áESPECIALLY ON I93. <PROB. JUST BEFORE THE NOTCH THAT THINGS CAME FOR US. NOT A DEAD STOP, A CREEP AND A CRAWL - LOOKING AT YOUR GPS LOOKING FOR A WAY TO GET OFF 93 FOR SOMETHING QUICKER, BUT EVERYONE WAS DOING THE SAME THING> STATE OFFICIALS SAY THEY PREDICTED áAND PLANNED FOR CONGESTED ROADS áAND LONGER "E-T-A'S" <TRAFFIC WILL BE HEAVY ON THE SAME ROADS THEY CAME THROUGH , IF THEY CAME THROUGH THE NOTCH THEY'LL BE HEAVY THERE AND DOWN THROUGH HOOKSET WILL BE HEAVY THERE AS WELL> .. AND TONIGHT THOSE TRAVELING áSOUTH SAY THEY EXPERIENCED áJUST THAT.. NOT ONLY HEADING HOME BUT áALSO ON THE WAY UP NORTH.. WITH SOME SAYING THEY DIDN'T GET AS FAR AS THEY'D HOPED.. <1:19:16 - 18 CLIP 0733 WE LEFT AT 930 WE COULDN'NT EVEN MAKE IT TO LANCASTER. > STILL.. PEOPLE VISITING FROM OUT OF STATE SAY THEY MADE THE MOST OF THIS HISTORIC DAY.. <ITS ALL GOOD, IT WAS AN ADVENTURE. WE TOLD OURSELVES NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TODAY SOME OF THE UNKNOWNS, WE'D ENJOY IT. > SAFETY TIPS - WHAT TO EXPECT

There was heavy traffic on some New Hampshire roads Monday night as people tried to get back home after the total solar eclipse.The New Hampshire Department of Transportation said there were about 22,000 more vehicles visiting the state this year compared to the last.Officials urged people returning from places like Colebrook, Pittsburg and Stewartstown to practice patience. A person who left Pittsburg at 6:30 p.m. Monday reported reaching I-93 at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.>> Traffic tracker | Traffic camerasSpots in Coos and Carroll counties were traffic hot spots. Route 3 was heavy through all towns heading south and was backed up nearly the whole way from Lancaster to Whitefield and approaching Interstate 93. At around 7:30 p.m., WMUR's Steve Bottari said traffic was stop-and-go on Route 3 beginning south of Colebrook. "A lot of red lights at this point," he said. According to Google Maps, there were more than 20 miles of stop-and-go traffic in North Stratford, all the way down to Lancaster. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<I-93 was slow through Littleton, and traffic continued to remain heavy going south into Franconia and Franconia Notch.Some travelers told News 9 that rest areas were overflowing with travelers needing a break.

HOOKSETT, N.H. —

There was heavy traffic on some New Hampshire roads Monday night as people tried to get back home after the total solar eclipse.

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation said there were about 22,000 more vehicles visiting the state this year compared to the last.

Officials urged people returning from places like Colebrook, Pittsburg and Stewartstown to practice patience. A person who left Pittsburg at 6:30 p.m. Monday reported reaching I-93 at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.

>> Traffic tracker | Traffic cameras

Spots in Coos and Carroll counties were traffic hot spots. Route 3 was heavy through all towns heading south and was backed up nearly the whole way from Lancaster to Whitefield and approaching Interstate 93.

At around 7:30 p.m., WMUR's Steve Bottari said traffic was stop-and-go on Route 3 beginning south of Colebrook.

"A lot of red lights at this point," he said.

According to Google Maps, there were more than 20 miles of stop-and-go traffic in North Stratford, all the way down to Lancaster.

>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<

I-93 was slow through Littleton, and traffic continued to remain heavy going south into Franconia and Franconia Notch.

Some travelers told News 9 that rest areas were overflowing with travelers needing a break.

Heavy traffic reported on New Hampshire roads following eclipse

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