New Braunfels is no stranger to hordes of tourists but with a million or more sightseers expected to descend on Central Texas for Monday’s total solar eclipse, the city is taking extra precautions and also is advising residents to stock up and avoid traveling if possible.
Although the city is located just outside the eclipse’s path of totality, huge crowds could mean citywide traffic jams, interruptions in cell and internet service, and increased demand for fuel and groceries.
Sightseers are expected to begin arriving on Friday, April 5 and leave on Tuesday, April 9.
“As a summertime tourism destination, the City of New Braunfels and its staff are accustomed to managing a large influx of visitors,” City Manager Robert Camareno said in a statement Tuesday. “However, given the uniqueness of the upcoming eclipse event, the city has put additional measures in place and residents are encouraged to avoid travel on April 8 if possible.”
The city’s preparations include:
- adding police officers on patrol and fully staffing its six fire department stations.
- adding 911 dispatchers to assist with increased call volume.
- prepping and staging city fleet vehicles (police, fire and public works) if needed.
- collecting solid waste and recycled trash earlier on Monday. Residents are asked to place trash or recycling carts at the curb on Sunday.
- monitoring developments. The city’s Emergency Management Division and Emergency Operations Center will be operational Monday.
Residents are asked to:
- limit travel to major roadways, carpool and allow plenty of time in case of heavy traffic. They should not stop on road shoulders to view the eclipse.
- reschedule appointments that can be planned for another day.
- keep an emergency kit in cars.
- fill prescriptions, buy groceries, and fill up gas tanks before Monday.
New Braunfels will experience a deep partial solar eclipse beginning at 12:51 p.m. Maximum coverage of the sun occurs at 1:35 p.m. The eclipse ends at 2:56 p.m.
Blanco County’s Emergency Management in Johnson City likened the “movement patterns” of visitors to those of a professional or college football game, “potentially representing similar hazards affecting each jurisdiction along the path.”
