Apr. 7—Christine Krolewicz is among those who expect a once-in-a-lifetime total eclipse on Monday to lure hundreds of thousands of visitors to Western New York.
Like other emergency managers, she also expects heavy traffic congestion and possible gridlock before, during and after the spectacle in the sky.
Krolewicz also understands not everyone plans to move about by motor vehicle during the busiest stretches.
Viewing the eclipse from one's home or adjacent areas is the ideal scenario, she said, but biking, walking and public transportation are the best ways to get to nearby events, not only on Monday but through a busy weekend into Tuesday.
"The biggest thing you can do is make an alternative plan that doesn't involve driving," said Krolewicz, an outreach specialist at Go Buffalo Niagara, a key program under GObike Buffalo designed to reduce solo motorized traffic for sustainability, health and financial reasons.
Mayor Byron W. Brown and members of the Buffalo Eclipse Task Force have also encouraged residents to "take this event seriously and prepare in advance, much like they would for a winter storm."
Brown and the task force urge those who look to attend a total eclipse viewing gathering in the city to attend one within walking distance. Those who plan to go a drivable distance should look to leave early and be prepared to stay late, the task force recommends.
Public transportation will come in handy for commuters, since the Metro Rail will run as scheduled. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority has told its drivers to stop their buses — as traffic permits — during the three to four minutes of eclipse totality that starts at 3:18 p.m. Monday.
In those cases, Metro Bus passengers should expect buses to pull over to a safe spot, said Sadie Kratt, transportation planner for the NFTA. Operators and riders will be encouraged to get off the bus and use special safety glasses and experience the spectacle. Following the few minutes of totality, buses will be back on the road.
"We are expecting delays just because of the amount of traffic, so you can pretty much bank on your bus being late that day," Kratt told The Buffalo News. "So, we're trying to encourage riders, if you don't have to go anywhere that day, try not to, but if you are, plan accordingly."
The NFTA has procured 16,000 eclipse glasses with the help of the Buffalo Museum of Science for staff members, including operators and mechanics. Riders who use Metro buses on eclipse day will get free glasses onboard so that they can view the eclipse safely, Kratt said. The NFTA has also set up a map listing key routes that will help riders access popular viewing spots via the transit system. The Route 77 and Route 40 buses that service Niagara Falls, Route 25 and Route 11 that go to Delaware Park, and Route 20 that goes to SUNY Buffalo State University are expected to be the busiest routes.
"My best tip is always to map your route in advance," Krolewicz said. Commuting on walking or biking routes in advance will help people get a sense of where the sidewalks and bike lanes are and help increase both pedestrian and biker safety, she said.
If you're in from out of town, it's good to go along with someone more familiar with the territory, too.
Reddy Bike, in collaboration with Independent Health, this week launched its ninth season of providing affordable rental bikes and e-bikes in time for eclipse-related celebrations.
With more than 465 bikes available at more than 110 stations, the bikeshare network will also include Reddy+, a pedal-assist e-bike, and East Side Forward Pass, a discounted bikeshare pass for East Side residents.
"It is times like these when bikeshare shines brightest as the life-hack of getting around town," said Simon Husted, Reddy's communications and marketing coordinator. "This has been months and months of deliberation, how we can best accommodate the eclipse. The most important thing is that we have as many bikes repaired and in service in Buffalo, Niagara Falls as possible. With how many people who are visiting Buffalo and Niagara Falls, they're going to need to think about ways to get around."
Last year, Reddy Bike had a record number of 51,872 trips, a 9% increase over 2022. Last April, when the weather was unseasonably warm, Reddy recorded 2,700 trips in one week.
Husted anticipates record-breaking numbers for April 7 and 8.
"With how many people are coming into town and how expensive it is to rent cars ... I'm expecting we might see a break of 3,000 trips," he said.
Reddy Bike staff anticipates one of the most popular biking destinations will be the Total Eclipse in the 716 viewing party in the Buffalo Outer Harbor, at Terminal B, 901 Fuhrmann Blvd.
The ridesharing company is establishing a free parking area along Fuhrman Boulevard and at Terminal B to let Reddy Bike users lock their bike to a public rack or signpost without paying the $2 fee. Other biking hotspots are expected to include Goat Island, Canalside and Sahlen Field.
Both Krolewicz and Husted advised wearing light or bright-colored clothing, paying heed to traffic signals and following rules that one adheres to while walking, or riding their bike at night. Those include making predictive movements, biking in straight lines and avoiding weaving in and out of traffic and parking lanes.
That holds especially during the eclipse, which starts about 2 p.m. Monday, moves toward total darkness about halfway through the event, and ends about 4:30.
"A lot of people maybe don't realize," Krolewicz said, "that it's going to be basically nighttime driving conditions your entire afternoon."
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