WEST LIBERTY, W. Va.– Do you find yourself blinded by bright headlights while driving through Route 88? Have you ever hit the brakes due to unexpected traffic? You might not be alone in those struggles as Oglebay’s Festival of Lights traffic hits full force. 

Since 1985, Oglebay’s Festival of Lights has been a staple for an Ohio Valley Christmas. The light show covers around 300 acres, and there are over 100 light displays through the property and Route 88, which leads to conflicts with students who must travel that route.

The light display runs from November 5th to January 9th, which means that students dealing with stress from finals season also have to deal with the slight road rage from driving through Oglebay. 

The student conflict comes from the stretch of light displays on Route 88. Complaints on how congested the traffic becomes during the festival and how the lights worsen their view of the road, among many others, have risen as a result. “I can’t drive through there due to my astigmatism and traffic being so bad,” said one student.

Even though there are other roads you can take to get back to campus, these alternative routes are often not as smooth of a drive. Regardless, some students would prefer if the school sent out a guide outlining the different routes you can take in order to avoid heavy Oglebay traffic.

Students that are from the area have fond memories of the festival, but now they struggle to enjoy it as the traffic and lights make the drive back longer. Hopefully as the tradition of the lights grows each year, the campus community will learn to navigate the frustrations that come with it.