Let’s Get Ready for the Solar Eclipse!

Safety Tips and Local Information

On April 8th, Ohio will be in the path of totality for the Solar Eclipse. This once in a lifetime event is expected to bring the population of Cuyahoga and Lorain County to double or triple on the days leading up to the eclipse. There are several cities within our area that are hosting large scale events which has the potential for major traffic congestion and disruptions to cell phone services. Below are some preparation tips and information from local city governments and schools for the day of the eclipse.

Preparation Tips:

It is likely that many visitors will come in over the weekend and stay in the area. This could cause any/all of the following:

Difficulty accessing food, gas, and supplies due to traffic issues.
Increased traffic or jammed roadways.
Increased wait times for services such as hospitals, restaurants and gas stations.
Increased pedestrian traffic
Local hotels/motels at capacity
Limited cell service due to heightened network use

Residents can prepare prior to the event by using the following tips:

Gas up vehicles before the weekend (April 6/7).
Stock up on food and drinks prior to the event.
Avoid scheduling non-emergent medical, hair, banking etc. appointments and avoid scheduling contractors and other work or deliveries at your property that day.
Avoid travel over the weekend.
Make arrangements if you normally work from home or rely on internet service to conduct online meetings. Or, if you have to make purchases that day, it may be helpful to have cash on hand in the event point of sale systems do not function properly.
To view traffic forecasts for the day, check out ODOT’s Eclipse 2024: Ohio Traffic Forecasting tool in this link: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7855595bd0aa41318cc57d47394e3861/page/Page/?views=s1-View-Hourly-Volumes%2CScenario-2—350k-Visitors

Enjoy Safely

It’s important to know how to view the eclipse safely. The only safe way to look directly at the sun during an eclipse is through special-purpose solar filters, like eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewers. Here are some tips for safely viewing the eclipse:

Only look at the eclipse through a special-purpose solar filter. Safe eclipse glasses should comply with ISO 12312-2 international standard.
Homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, are unsafe. They transmit too much sunlight and could damage the eyes.
Always supervise children using solar filters.
Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device.
Do not take photos or videos while driving.
Do not wear eclipse glasses while driving.
Turn on your headlights. Don’t rely on automatic lights.

Safety Tips for After the Eclipse

Plan your post-event transportation method well in advance. If celebrating, ensure everyone has a safe and sober way to return home. Designate a sober driver or arrange for alternative transportation.
Exercise patience when leaving your viewing location as traffic may be heavy. Follow instructions from law enforcement or emergency personnel and be considerate of fellow drivers. Stay put and stick around to avoid the post-event rush.
Clean up after yourself and dispose of trash in designated receptacles or take it with you.

Visit the story links below for more helpful tips.

April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse: Smartphone Photography Tips by a Local Photographer

Boating Safety on Eclipse Day

Cuyahoga Recycles: Recycle Your Solar Eclipse Glasses

Here are what the local communities are doing….

Avon Lake

Eclipse Day Road Closure & Traffic Pattern Changes: Starting Monday morning (April 8, 2024), Avon Belden Rd/State Route 83, between Lake Rd and Electric Blvd, will be closed to thru traffic, for the duration of the Solar Eclipse events. No other roads will be closed, at this time. Starting about 3:15pm, to help disperse traffic after the eclipse, traffic will exit in one direction onto the main roads, as shown on the map. Lake Rd will maintain two-way traffic throughout.

Those not attending the Watch Party at the high school, nor parking at a nearby park, are encouraged to avoid the area, if possible.

Additional Notes: There is no parking on the hydrant side of the street. • Walker Road Park parking lot will be for handicap parking only.

Additional information about the Solar Eclipse events and parking options can be found at http://www.AvonLakeSolarEclipse.com

Avon Lake Police Department: We cannot guarantee how long it will take for the traffic to disperse after the event. The traffic control beginning at 3:15 mentioned in the original post refers to traffic leaving event sites. Traffic exiting the high school lot on Electric will be directed East, traffic exiting the high school lot on 83 will be directed South, and traffic exiting Bleser Park on Electric will be directed West.

Avon

The City of Avon would like to do what we can to ensure that this is a pleasurable experience for residents and visitors alike. Following are some recommendations that we would like to suggest to prepare for the eclipse:

If you don’t have to go out on the day of the eclipse, stay in! Avon Local Schools and the Senior Center will be closed on April 8th.
If you have an emergency, and cannot get through to 911, you can contact us through our non-emergency numbers: Avon Police Department 440-934-1234 • Avon Fire Department 440-934-1222
Monitor the City of Avon website and Police Department social media for the most up-to-date information.

Avon Schools Eclipse Reserved Parking: Visit https://www.avonlocalschools.org/news/what_s_new/eclipse_news to sign up. Each lot will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2024. Partial eclipse is estimated to be approximately 1:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Full eclipse is estimated to be approximately 3:10 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. ** Bring your driver’s license with the registered name to check into the parking lot. Concessions will be available in the lots. ** Tickets are NONREFUNDABLE ** NO ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, DRUGS or FIREARMS permitted on school property!

Westlake

City of Westlake Ohio Police Department: Yes the eclipse is coming. No we are not panicking. We ask that you do plan ahead. WPD anticipates that the traffic will be very heavy. Our hotels are nearly sold out as are hotels in neighboring cities. There will be lots of extra people and cars in and traveling through Westlake. We have plans in the works to move the flow of traffic if it becomes necessary for emergency services or for safety. Expect that some roadways/ramps may be closed or limited. We advise all Westlake residents to prepare in advance for this event.

Bay Village

We are encouraging all Bay Village residents to plan ahead and view the eclipse safely that day from their property. We anticipate a surge in local traffic, particularly around the peak of the eclipse, consider walking or biking to local destinations that day.

Here are some important highlights about this event, and things to expect that day:

Schools and municipal buildings are CLOSED. Porta potties and trash dumpsters will be available in Cahoon Memorial Park, Bradley Park and Reese Park for this event, and will be removed soon after the eclipse day. Visit https://cityofbayvillage.com/534/2024-Solar-Eclipse to view an aerial map of the proposed location of these items. Locations are subject to change.
Area businesses may be closed, call ahead to verify hours of operation.
City Park hours are 5:00 am to 11:00 pm and will be enforced. Overnight camping is not permitted.
Parking is limited and all rules will be enforced. Do not park on public property except in designated parking spaces. Preparation for the event has already begun – metal stakes are being installed as barriers to prohibit parking on soft grass areas, and will be removed soon after the eclipse day.
Cahoon Road between Wolf Road and Lake Road will be closed. Additional road closures are possible to maintain pedestrian safety and traffic flow for emergency personnel.
City facilities, including the Gazebo and Bay Lodge, are not available for rental between April 5 to April 9.
Block Party Permits will not be issued between April 5 through April 9.
Digital message boards will be placed at key points in the city to display important notices and reminders in preparation for the event, and for visitors on eclipse day. They will be removed soon after the eclipse day.

North Ridgeville

In the city of North Ridgeville, the following precautions are being taken in preparation of the anticipated number of visitors and expected traffic volume:

North Ridgeville City Schools, Lake Ridge Academy, St. Peter School and LCCC, along with many other schools in Lorain County, will be closed on Monday, April 8.
North Ridgeville’s city parks will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning Friday, April 5 until Tuesday, April 9. Residents and visitors are welcome to enjoy our parks throughout the weekend; however, vehicles will not be permitted in our effort to keep our parks safe and clean.
Ranger Way will be closed on Monday, April 8 to vehicular traffic. Access to Kenssington Drive will be maintained.
Additional road closures may occur before, during or after the eclipse, and local traffic may be rerouted based upon traffic conditions.

All North Ridgeville city services will be fully functional during this period. The city is taking special measures to ensure that the safety of our community will not be compromised during the event. All such measures are subject to change. The most up-to-date information will be added to this posting as we approach April 8.

More information about the solar eclipse can be found at Ohio.org and LorainCountyOhio.gov.

Rocky River

We encourage residents to travel on foot or by bicycle, if possible. Kindness, respect and patience will be the words of the day. Below you will find important information regarding City operations for that day. While we are anticipating large crowds it is all weather dependent, of course.

911 is for emergency calls only, not for information purposes. Questions should be directed to 440-331-0600 or 440-331-1234.
Refuse collection will be delayed one day the week of April 8, as it will be difficult to safely collect refuse during the eclipse traffic.
Service Dept personnel will be deployed to our parks to serve as park attendants for the day. In addition, Rocky River Police Department personnel will also have a presence in the parks.
The Rocky River Police Department’s Bike Patrol will be out and about in the City of Rocky River, as well as the Marine Patrol on the river and lakeshore. Click here for boating safety tips.
Rocky River Police will not enforce the overnight parking ban on City streets, but will enforce the no parking on the fire hydrant side of the street.
City parks will be closed the night prior to April 8 with no overnight parking or camping in the parks allowed; they will be opened at approximately 6:30 a.m. on April 8. Restrooms will be open and operating, as well as additional port-o-potties and trash receptacles.
All tents, shelters, and the like are prohibited in the parks.
No amplification devices are permitted in the parks.
Dogs must be kept on a 6’ leash while in city parks.
Park space is on a first come-first served basis.
Alcohol use in City parks, public property, or on the public streets is not permitted.
The sale of items on public property is prohibited.
No personal fireworks. This includes novelty fireworks such as sparklers and smoke bombs.
If you are hosting a party and plan to use valet parking, the valets are not permitted to park on the city streets, but need to have appropriate parking accommodations on private property.
The City is not allowing any block parties or food trucks.
Any City run construction projects will be on hold and no work will be performed on them on April 8.
If you are planning to have work done at your home that day, you may want to consider rescheduling.
The Building Department will not be scheduling inspections that day.
City Hall offices will be open, but will be closed to the public beginning at noon.
The Recreation Department will be open normal hours, hosting an open gym. Group fitness classes will be canceled.
The Senior Center will close at 1 pm. There are no transportation services available through the Senior Center on April 8.
City Council has cancelled their meeting the evening of April 8.