Hurricane Irma is causing one of the largest mass evacuations in United States history, and the state of Alabama is prepping to help Floridians seek shelter.
A heavy influx of traffic is expected along Interstates 65 and 10 through coastal Alabama and into the rest of the state. Alabama transportation officials will meet to discuss possible gridlock concerns, especially on Interstate 10 in downtown Mobile, which is already notorious for traffic backups.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has been issuing mandatory evacuation orders, including one on Thursday requiring more than 100,000 residents in Miami-Dade County to leave during the morning hours.
Some events that could be affected by the traffic will be restructured to better accommodate the evacuees. The annual Tunnel-to-Towers 5K run and walk in downtown Mobile, previously set for Sunday, has been rescheduled for October 8th.
Officials say that there shouldn’t be any worries about gasoline supplies, as there is no shortage. Several gas stations in Alabama have experienced shortages due to panic buying, but these shortages were temporary.