San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Travis County declares eclipse disaster
Travis County has issued a disaster declaration ahead of the April 8 eclipse, with officials saying the crowds drawn by the cosmic event will overflow local highways and strain key resources.
The rare total eclipse is expected to draw at least 1 million out-of-state visitors to Texas, along with the crowds of Texans who travel to be in the path of totality, which is the track of the moon’s shadow across the Earth’s surface. Much of the Texas Hill Country will fall within that path.
Travis County, which is home to Austin, issued its disaster declaration on Friday “in anticipation of extremely large crowds, increased traffic and enormous strains on first responders, hospitals and roads on the days leading up to, on and after the day of the total solar eclipse.”
The disaster declaration “will allow our first responders and public safety officials to better manage traffic and crowds as we anticipate the population to potentially double in size, and we want to ensure everyone can enjoy the total solar eclipse in Travis County,” Travis County Judge Andy Brown said in a written statement.
Residents can expect heavy traffic as visitors travel through the Austin area, especially right after the eclipse. The county recommends locals work from home if they can, reschedule non-urgent appointments and get gas and groceries before April 8.
Most areas of Austin will see between 30 seconds and 2⁄ minutes of the eclipse.
Those hosting events of 50 or more people must inform the county through a form on the county’s website.
Bell County, which is about north of Austin, on Feb. 2 declared a state of emergency related to the eclipse. Most of the county will get at least three minutes of darkness.