As we inch ever closer to April 8, when Dallas may or may not get an awesome view of the total solar eclipse, it's a safe bet that plenty of people will be out and about, hoping for the best, regardless of what Pete Delkus tweets out. In short, many area roadways could be just as congested as some meteorologists suggest the skies might be with clouds come noon on Monday.
Although Texas cities south of here, including Hillsboro and New Braunfels, are expecting massive crowds throughout the weekend leading up to Monday, NBC 5 reported that Dallas won't likely be spared from the onslaught of eclipse tourists.
"While the number of expected visitors to Dallas is unknown, city leaders are relying on information shared from Nashville during their 2017 solar eclipse," the report stated. "That city saw a 35% increase in population, which, according to city leaders, would translate to about 400,000 additional visitors to Dallas."
And what does hundreds of thousands of additional people mean to an already crowded metropolitan area? If you guessed heavier traffic, then you're probably correct.
tweet thisSome of y’all have never witnessed an eclipse before and it shows. 👀 But seriously, keep your headlights on and eclipse glasses off if you’re driving during the event. #TXEclipse2024 #Eclipse2024 #PathofTotality pic.twitter.com/Nq0UpmTrKI
— TxDOT (@TxDOT) April 4, 2024
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the eclipse will likely spark "severe traffic delays" in the counties that align with the path of the eclipse. As a result, the Department has ordered that no oversized trucks or overweight vehicles that are subject to weight permitted travel will be allowed in dozens of counties including Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant from midnight on April 8 until midnight the following day.
There will be some "rolling road closures" on Monday around the time the eclipse hits its full potential according to a Dallas Police Department Facebook post.
"Be aware of rolling road closures INTO downtown Dallas on April 8, from approximately 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm," the post states. "The exits off our major highways, highlighted on the map, INTO downtown will be affected by the rolling closures.
Exits OUT of downtown will remain open."
WFAA reported that the "[e]xits off major highways along I-35E, Woodall Rogers, Central Expressway, I-45 and I-30 into downtown will be affected" by the rolling closures.
The city posted a few tips for local drivers in an advisory notice recently. Among them: travel delays in and out of DFW International Airport are likely, and most of the airport's rental car inventory is already booked for the 8th. The advisory also had a tip for those of us who live here.
"City officials urge residents to avoid venturing too far from their neighborhoods to watch the total solar eclipse to decrease the impact of traffic on roads."
For its part, TxDOT offered some additional advice for drivers for when the eclipse finally hits.
"Some of y’all have never witnessed an eclipse before and it shows," the X post read. "But seriously, keep your headlights on and eclipse glasses off if you’re driving during the event."
