Dallas prepares for eclipse traffic and congestion
To avoid gridlock, the Dallas Emergency Management Agency is encouraging employers to treat April 8 as a snow day and only essential workers to come to work.
dallas – Experts recommend keeping your gas tank full if you plan to be out on April 8, the day of the North American Solar Eclipse.
Travis Houston, the new director of the Dallas Emergency Management Agency, said he began planning for a total solar eclipse in Dallas a year ago.
read more: Where to watch the solar eclipse in Dallas
“One thing we know with 100% certainty is that the moon will pass above the sun and it will darken. But there are many other variables, and we are always looking for the worst. “We're looking at scenarios. If we're planning for it, we hope for the best, that's our whole philosophy in crisis management,” Houston said.
The biggest concern is keeping traffic moving.
“Make sure you understand how to keep ingress and egress active for first responders, how to deal with stranded motorists, and if that is an issue on the road. It's how do we communicate to the public without stopping that it's a solar eclipse,'' Houston said.
In the 2017 total solar eclipse, which stretched from Oregon to South Carolina, Nashville was the largest city in the eclipse's path.
After that, gas shortages occurred in some areas.
“It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. When you start talking about gas shortages, people say, 'I have to go buy gas,' and it becomes a reality. “I don't think we're going to be faced with that in a major metropolitan center like this one in Dallas itself,” he said. “Everyone who lives in Dallas has experienced rush hour traffic. We know that around 5 o'clock you can sit in traffic for a while. If it lasts too long, your car will break down. I think it's when we run out of steam, run out of gas, and people get confused.''What's stuck on the side of the road is a plan to make sure we have a way to deal with it, and that's our plan. has become a major focus. ”
The city of Houston is encouraging employers to treat April 8 as a snow day and only essential workers to come to the office.
“If it's easy for the employer, I think it makes sense, not just from a transportation standpoint, but from a business standpoint. Maybe a job that starts at 8 and ends at 5 p.m. There would be many more if employees were working from home that day. ” he said.
read more: Why some states issued warnings before celestial events
Dallas Fire and Police Departments say they are staffing up for the day like any other large event, but in this case there are multiple crowded areas instead of one central location. there's a possibility that.
Dallas Police Department spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said, “We have a thorough plan in place, working not only across departments like patrol and specialty units, but also with the state, other local departments, and city departments. We are working hard to ensure that everything goes smoothly.”
Houston said Nashville officials said the worst traffic jams occurred after the eclipse because many people arrived days before the eclipse but then began leaving en masse.
He urged families to avoid traffic jams and do something to avoid traffic jams after the eclipse.
