The total solar eclipse on April 8 will put the country completely on the edge of its seat.
Will the weather cooperate? How will small towns handle the influx of visitors? And where can you find reliable glasses for viewing?
With so many questions, the historic few hours promise to be memorable, according to a Texas official, two former NASA astronauts and a man from Memphis, Tennessee, who has already manufactured nearly 75 million pairs of glasses for Monday's eclipse.
While approximately 31 million people in the United States live within the path of totality - including those in Dallas, Indianapolis, Cleveland and Buffalo - millions more who are not in those locations are getting ready to travel for the big day this week.
Related: Keeping Dogs and Cats Safe During a Solar Eclipse: Expert Pet Advice on the Spring Solar Eclipse
All of this means that those who live in small towns and counties, like Bell County in central Texas, are expecting quite a few new friends in their backyard on April 8.
"Traffic congestion is by far the biggest concern we have yet," Bob Reinhard, emergency management coordinator for Bell County, population 400,000, tells PEOPLE. "Any of these major arteries [including Interstate 35] has the potential to be packed with motorists. Not only on the day of the event, but also on the days leading up to Monday the 8th. It will be a huge challenge to keep those lanes moving at a certain pace."
Never miss a story: Sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.On February 21, Bell County was among the first in the country to declare a local state of emergency ahead of the event, with county officials expecting the population to double in the days leading up to the eclipse, putting strain on infrastructure. .
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Reinhard said it is now a requirement for all private landowners in unincorporated areas to register with the county if they plan to host events with more than 50 people.
The information will provide area leaders with "situational awareness" so they can help direct resources in the event of an emergency.
Another problem is mobile coverage, says Reinhard.
"Having so many people in the same area, all using their cell phones for one purpose or another, will undoubtedly put a strain on our mobile infrastructure," he tells PEOPLE.
Related: Fly the path of totality during April's total solar eclipse on this delta flight
As government officials prepare for the eclipse, John Jerit, CEO of American Paper Optics, has spent 34 of his company's 35 years working hard so people can enjoy the eclipse without straining their eyes.
Jerit's eclipse glasses are made in America and ISO certified, meaning the filter and goggles have been tested for safety, he tells PEOPLE.
"A lot of glasses that come from abroad and from China are tested in labs that are not necessarily qualified to test for that specific product," Jerit tells PEOPLE. "You must have the right spectrometry equipment and the like and know the standards. So a lot of them just pop up. And we've seen in the last 10 days on Amazon and there's a lot of counterfeit glasses coming through with our name on it."
