County plans no road closures related to April 8 eclipse, but detours likely
There are no road closures planned out in Kerr County during the eclipse event on Monday, April 8, but detours are likely.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told county commissioners meeting in regular session today, March 25, that there is some misinformation circulating in the community, so the public needs to get their facts from a credible source. He also added that the county, city and other local authorities will be funneling information through one website: www.kerrvilleeclipse.com.
“In the county, we are not closing any roads,” Leitha told commissioners, but traffic will be redirected if and when needed – especially in the immediate aftermath of the eclipse Monday afternoon.
Since people will be arriving and setting up to watch the eclipse at different times, it all comes down to trying to manage the exodus, said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly. He consistently has encouraged people who live here to stay at home that day, if possible.
He also encouraged any citizen enduring that weekend and the as-yet-untold swell in population growth to cooperate with any first responders when they are encountered. Heavy planning has been underway for more than 2 years for this event, and Kerr County’s emergency personnel are well-trained for this.
Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator William B. “Dub” Thomas has released the following Kerr County, Texas, eclipse traffic information.
TO VIEW THE KERR COUNTY TRAFFIC PLAN MAP, click the "Download Article" button.
Kerr County, Texas, Eclipse Traffic Information
1.) NO road closures are planned for any road in Kerr County, other than in the immediate area of Louise Hays Park. TxDOT (the Texas Department of Transportation) will adjust Sidney Baker Street lanes to accommodate outbound traffic. The most traffic on area roads is anticipated during the day on Monday.
2.) Need to travel? Local residents who absolutely must get out and travel on eclipse weekend are encouraged to take alternate routes that make use of roads other than TX-27 or TX-16 (which are expected to be filled with thousands of motorists moving in and out of the community.)
3.) Access Points: The current traffic plan, while flexible, works to move as much traffic as possible to the numerous exits on Interstate 10. These include the exits at TX-41 for West Kerr County, at Harper Road and Sidney Baker for the central part of the county, and at TX-27 for the south and eastern areas toward Comfort’s three access points to the interstate. (TxDOT will have message boards stationed at key traffic areas.)
4.) Plan ahead – Locals are encouraged to plan for traffic congestion. That means attaining needed items in advance of eclipse weekend, April 5-8, in a reasonable fashion. (Please, do not hoard.) Be aware that cellphone services and credit card processing machines may be interrupted temporarily due to high demand. If planning to visit a local business on Monday, April 8, please verify they are open before leaving home. (Kerr County, Texas, offices in Kerrville at Ingram will be closed that day.)
5.) Getting to Interstate 10 - If south of Kerrville, the fastest way for motorists to reach I-10 will be via TX-173 at Camp Verde and then east on TX-27 to Comfort. If west of Ingram, the fastest way to I-10 will be via TX-27 to Ingram, then west on TX-41 to I-10.
6.) Limit emergency calls to life-threatening situations – Please reserve calls to emergency services for serious threats to life and property, as first responders in the local police and fire departments, the sheriff’s office, the county’s volunteer fire departments and other first responders will be working at full capacity to meet the vital needs of local residents and visitors.
7.) Need more info? If you want more information on all topics related to the eclipse and its “path of totality” over Kerr County, visit www.kerrvilleeclipse.com.
Kerr County Commissioner (Pct. 2) Rich Paces, who has served as the court’s liaison on the community’s eclipse planning committee, added Monday that people should avoid any risky behaviors during the eclipse to prevent injury. However, anyone with an injury requiring attention may rely on their nearest volunteer fire department for assistance, since they will all be manned with personnel trained in first aid.
Additionally, anyone who is unable to call for help due to a cellphone service outage, may turn to their nearest volunteer fire station, which will have radios and other means of communication.