Millions of Americans are gearing up for Monday’s total solar eclipse, but along with their safety glasses and granola bars, they’ll need to pack plenty of patience as well. The eclipse is expected to cause a total traffic nightmare on at least 30 interstate highways in the path of totality, where the sun will be completely blocked by the moon’s shadow for up to four minutes.
The impact on roadways from Western New York to Central Texas is being compared to “20 or 30 Super Bowls happening all at once” by Richard Feinberg of the American Astronomical Society’s Eclipse Task Force. As many as 1 million out-of-state visitors are expected to flock to New York for the event.
At a press conference in Niagara Falls, Gov. Kathy Hochul warned of unusually heavy traffic in the coming days and urged drivers not to pull over during the eclipse. She emphasized the importance of road safety and advised motorists to have a full tank of gas.
The New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services is also ramping up efforts to ensure public safety during the eclipse, with resources deployed on land, sea, and air. Commissioner Jackie Bray cautioned drivers against parking where they’re not supposed to, as ticketing and towing will be swift.
The eclipse is set to begin around 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas and end around 4:40 p.m. in Caribou, Maine. Peak viewing times and the best locations to see the eclipse in New York are available on the ILoveNY website. The next solar eclipse in the region isn’t expected until 2044.