No Jubilation Over Girl Scouts Traffic Jam

The Girl Scouts' celebration of their 100th Anniversary last weekend in Durham wasn't without one major hiccup – traffic.

On Saturday, the town sent out an emergency alert warning residents to expect "heavy traffic" along Route 17 due to an event at the Durham Fairgrounds. The event, which had been planned for more than several months, expected to draw a few thousand people.

But the attendance might have been greatly underestimated according to First Selectman Laura Francis.

"There were probably three times as many Girl Scouts in attendance and their families than was anticipated and totally overwhelmed the planners of this event," Francis said Monday night.

Girl Scouts officials said Tuesday that an estimated 8,000 people attended the event.

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Residents took to social media sites like Facebook on Saturday, asking questions like, "Why the major traffic jam on main street? Anyone know?"

One person said the traffic was backed up on Route 17 all the way to Middletown.

Francis was in contact with Girl Scouts officials throughout the weekend and shuttle buses were offered at Wimler's Farm.

She has spoken to Durham Fair officials and will bring the issue up again during an Chiefs' Council meeting next week "to make sure we put in some measures in the future to help mitigate this from happening again."

"We have great resources in the Durham Fair property and our school property, but we do have limitations on our state highways," Francis said.

"One lane in, and one lane out."