Kingston updates planned road closures for Monday's solar eclipse (2024)

KINGSTON — Municipal officials are urging patience on the roads Monday as road closures and thousands of visitors converge on the city for the total solar eclipse.

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In addition to the LaSalle Causeway, which closed earlier this week due to damage to the bascule bridge during renovations, there are planned closures across the city Monday.

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The City of Kingston plans to close key roadways as a way of ensuring emergency access to Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

King Street between Barrie and Mowat streets and Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard between Union and King streets are to be closed to all but emergency vehicles.

University Avenue is to be closed between Earl and Stuart streets.

Local residents can access the area on side streets south of Union Street.

Access to Stuart Street and Kingston General Hospital is to be available on Albert and Barrie streets.

The KGH emergency department is to be accessible by following Barrie Street to Stuart Street, turning onto George Street then onto King Street.

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Those leaving the emergency department are to depart through the road closure at Barrie Street.

“In a medical emergency, every moment counts, so we ask for the public’s assistance in helping keep roadways clear as KHSC is the trauma centre for southeastern Ontario,” Renate Ilse, chief operating officer for KHSC, said in a news release. “We have rescheduled non-urgent clinic appointments and medical procedures, as well we have upstaffed in our emergency department and urgent care centre to ensure we have the capacity to support community needs on the day of the eclipse.”

To maintain emergency access to Highway 401, one lane in each direction on Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard is to be closed and available only to emergency vehicles.

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Avenue Road is to be closed at the intersection with Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard.

Market Street next to City Hall is to be closed.

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On Friday night, the city announced changes to traffic plans near Fort Henry prompted, in part, by the closure of the LaSalle Causeway.

Once parking at Fort Henry reaches capacity — which is expected to happen early in the day — Highway 2 is to be closed west of Highway 15.

Southbound traffic on Highway 15 is to be directed east on Highway 2 and westbound vehicles on Highway 2 is to be directed north on Highway 15.

Local access to Barriefield is to be via Wellington Street.

West of Kingston, the Amherst Island ferry is to remain at the dock during the three minutes of totality, starting around 3:22 p.m.

Although there are no road closures planned in Loyalist Township, the municipality is urging residents and motorists to make basic preparations and follow some simple guidelines:

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• Plan your day in advance. Expect higher traffic volumes throughout the day due to the eclipse.
• Ensure your vehicle is fully fuelled. Extra traffic may lead to lineups and/or sold-out fuel supplies, especially in rural areas.
• Drive with caution. If you have to be on the road during the main eclipse window, keep your eyes on the road, not on the sky.
• Turn your headlights on early. Make sure your headlights are on for at least a half-hour before (approximately 1:50 p.m.) and after totality (4:35 p.m. onwards) as the sky will be dark.
• Be patient. Anticipate heavy traffic and delays when leaving viewing areas and abide by the rules of the road and traffic management personnel.
• Yield. Remember to yield to emergency vehicles.
• Park responsibly. Only park in designated parking areas and do not park along the side of the road.

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