Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Over the course of the last several months, officials at the state level in New York have been working in collaboration with other local officials to come up with a comprehensive plan of action in preparation for the Total Solar Eclipse set to sweep through the region on Monday.
One of the main focuses for New York State Police is on the major roadways, and the massive influx of people not only coming to the region in the days leading up to Monday, but also on the day of the eclipse as people make their way to their destinations to view the rare celestial event.
That's why State Police is bringing in additional resources - well over 100 troopers just to Western New York - to assist not only in the 9-1-1 efforts, but also to ensure adequate patrols in certain areas to accommodate for the expected influx of people to the region.
"You've got Niagara Falls, I guess would be the hot point right now, and we have the LaSalle Expressway, you've got Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls Boulevard, you've got all of these parallel roads leading to those areas. The New York State Police will be rendering a lot of staff, actually, to Niagara Falls Police Department, Buffalo Police Department to assist in their efforts on the Waterfront, because those are going to be the hotspots," said State Police Public Information Officer, James O'Callaghan on Tuesday.
One of the resources that State Police is making available for the region in a number of high traffic areas will be strike teams, team of troopers that will help coordinate traffic or assist in other efforts. This includes working with the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to make sure that any stopped vehicles are shuttled along quickly.
"It's easier for us instead of just calling out troopers by name, like, 'Where's this one guy, where's this guy?' 'Where's Strike Team 2, 3 and 4? Where's Strike Team 12 and 13?' It's just easier to know that strike team consists of this many troopers, they're here, and it's easy for us logistically to coordinate that type of event," O'Callaghan explained.
"Some of them may have different components. Some strike teams might be commercial vehicle units, some strike teams might be Traffic Incident Management members. There are going to be specialties within some of the strike teams, depending on where they are, but that's for us kind of the know on the inside. ... It's easy for not only us, but our outside helpers to look at it really quick and know, 'OK, this is how things pan out toward the end.'"
One area these strike teams will be very resourceful is in certain areas in Buffalo and Niagara Falls where it's expected to see some of the highest rates of activity during the eclipse. O'Callaghan says these teams can help man busy intersections and highways, including the I-190 that connects to LaSalle Expressway.
"You're gonna go over the Grand Island bridge, you're going to loop around, you're gonna go on to LaSalle, that area will be heavily monitored with strike teams," O'Callaghan detailed. "Yes, there's signal lights in that area coming off Buffalo Avenue, but if we have a trooper there, that could disregard the signal light and keep traffic moving. That's our objective. We're working with Niagara County Sheriff's Office, we're working with the Niagara Falls Police Department, and New York State Park Police in those areas. There are intersections that are definitely going to be compromised with traffic, for sure. That doesn't necessarily mean we're going to close them. We just have to adapt and overcome on those intersections, supply troopers, supply the amount of manpower we need to make those free flowing as best as possible."
With the risk of people stopping along busy roadways, or even in the middle of those roadways during the Total Solar Eclipse, there is some questioning as to whether or not any major thoroughfares will be closed for the duration of Monday. This includes routes like the Skyway and other parts of the region that would be dangerous to see traffic come to a standstill.
However, the only closure, at this time, slated to take place for the duration of the eclipse is set to be the off ramp on Route 5 Southbound at the Outer Harbor starting at 8 a.m. ET.
Other than that, it's going to depend on the traffic and whether there's a need to toggle traffic.
"For instance, you're going up to Niagara Falls and Niagara Scenic Parkway is all backed up, then they're going to start diverting you to Buffalo Ave., Niagara Falls Boulevard, the other alternate routes. It's going to be dependent on what the traffic is, and even leaving various areas, whether they're going to have to toggle traffic," said Athena Hutchins, Executive Director of NITTEC.
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Meanwhile, the State DOT will be working with State Police to provide a safe, efficient and effective traffic control for all of Western New York before, during and after the eclipse.
"To meet this goal, we're in continual communication, coordination and cooperation with our state and local partners," said Jim Rusak, Acting Regional Director for the State DOT.
One of the resources the State DOT will be providing for the eclipse efforts along the major roadways in the region is HELP (Highway Emergency Local Patrols) trucks that will be staged throughout the area beginning at 7 a.m. ET on Monday.
"These trucks enhance our ability to respond by providing advanced warning," Rusak said.
"It's all about quick clearance. Anytime we have a stopped vehicle on the shoulder, even if it's not blocking the lane, that causes friction for the traffic that's trying to flow by, and it can have a real impact. So staying ahead of those issues, getting those vehicles moving is a key. Those trucks are equipped to do that. They can change tires, they can add fuel, whatever they need to do to get a person back on the road and moving. So they'll be out there and ready."
Rusak also says additional tow trucks will be staged throughout the area for both the Buffalo and Niagara region to enhance quick clearance initiatives.
When it comes to the timing of traffic in relation to the start of the eclipse, O'Callaghan expects activity on the roadways to really start picking up around 12 p.m. ET. The eclipse is expected to start shortly after 2 p.m. ET with total darkness set to take place starting at 3:18 p.m. ET and lasting for around 3 minutes and 45 seconds.
While many people are encouraged to walk to your desired destination to view the eclipse, it may not be as simple for others looking to take in the viewing experience with others.
"The parks, everyone wants a good seat. It's like the Fourth of July, you don't want to show up late and get the worst seat in the house. You're gonna see people start to show up a little bit early, get their spot, get comfortable with their families, kids, or whatever the case may be," O'Callaghan said. "I would definitely say noon, you're gonna see the pickup. You're probably going to eat lunch, go out [for the eclipse], and you're probably going to be stuck in traffic, unfortunately, somewhere between the 3:30 to 4:30, 5 o'clock hour, depending on how quick everyone wants to get to their next destination. That's what we're looking at."
A key message for people taking in the eclipse at a viewing party or event is be prepared to arrive early and stay late in order to help spread traffic out and avoid major congestion or gridlock on the roadways. How long do officials anticipate people having to wait in place after the eclipse is slated to end just after 4:30 p.m. ET? O'Callaghan says it may be a little different with every situation.
"If you're at a State Park, it's probably going to be a slow go. Even if you get in your car right away, you're gonna be waiting in your car or you're gonna be waiting where your lawn seat was," he said. "Just like a normal event here, the Bills and Sabres, we've all done that. You can either wait in your car or you can give it about 15-20 minutes, even 40 minutes to talk to people and then kind of snoop out a little bit quicker.
"If you're going to an event downtown or a restaurant or something like that, it might be a little quicker. It depends on the congestion of those specific areas. ... If you're in your backyard or maybe you have your kids' friends over like a localized party that's away from those hotspots, your traffic probably will not be affected. If you're in the middle or on the edge of Niagara County or even Erie County in the very, very rural areas, you're probably not going to get a significant load of traffic. So it's a little different for everyone. You just have to know when you look around, if you're shoulder-to-shoulder and the parking lot's packed and you're somewhere like that, it's going to take a little while."
And if you happen to know any alternative routes to-and-from your intended destination for the eclipse, officials advise to be prepared well in advance to know where you need to go and how to navigate those roadways.
"The most popular routes are going to be the heavily trafficked routes, but if you know an alternate route into Niagara Falls, Outer Harbor, I encourage you to recognize what those are, be prepared to be able to change if you need to and be flexible," Hutchins advised.
So what advice are officials offering for people this Monday heading out to take in the eclipse away from home? It's simple: Pack your patience.
"The big thing is, we want this to be the safest possible outcome, and that's why we're bringing in all this additional staffing. That's why we're going to be at a lot of intersections, that's why we're going to be assisting with the departments not only for traffic, but also for safety. Safety's paramount for this whole thing," O'Callaghan said. "We have a lot of people in a crowded area, and that's what we are out there to do. We're out there to make sure that the people that are going to this to witness this; this might be a one-time thing for a lot of people, and we want to make sure this is the safest possible outcome not only on the roadways, but also in the places that people are going to frequent this event."
"It's kind of like a snowstorm, but we all know when this is exactly happening, and when people are anticipated to leave. We don't want people to get stranded, but be prepared, be patient and again, use our website as a resource for information," Hutchins added.