CLEVELAND — As large crowds are expected in Cleveland for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, the city has announced its safety plans, asking travelers to plan ahead as there will be many road closures and parking restrictions.
The Cleveland Division of Police and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department are working with local, state and federal law enforcement partners to ensure safety is the number one priority for the city.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the total solar eclipse:
2024 SOLAR ECLIPSE TIMELINE
- Eclipse starts: 1:59 p.m.
- Totality begins: 3:13 p.m.
- Maximum totality: 3:15 p.m.
- Totality ends: 3:17 p.m.
- Eclipse ends: 4:28 p.m.
ROAD CLOSURES
- Route 2 Westbound ramps will be closed at I-90. All other ramps to the Shoreway will be open in both directions.
- Route 2 Westbound ramps will be closed at I-90. All other ramps to the Shoreway will be open in both directions.
- Alfred Lerner Way/Erieside will be closed from W 3rd to E 9th. There will still be access to the Great Lakes Science Center garage from W 3rd St.
- E 9th North of Erieside will be closed; both sides of E 9th Street from Erieside to the cul-de-sac will be a food truck zone.
- St. Clair and Lakeside will be a No Parking/No Stopping Zone from W 9th to E 9th.
- W 3rd, W 6th, and W 9th will be No Parking/No Stopping zones North from Superior.
- Huron and Prospect west of E 9th to Ontario will also be No Parking/No Stopping zones.
- W 25th from the Shoreway to Lorain will be a No Parking/No Stopping zone.
- W 25th from Clark to I-71 will be a No Parking/No Stopping zone. (hospital access)
- Euclid Ave from Chester to Mayfield will be a No Parking/No Stopping zone. (hospital access)
PARKING
- Cleveland police say there will be parking restrictions in the downtown area due to the expectation of large crowds.
- "Pay close attention to signage indicating NO PARKING, as violators can be ticketed and towed. Parking will be at a premium and garages and lots can fill up quickly. Consider alternate travel plans, such as carpooling, ride shares and utilizing public transportation," said the City of Cleveland.
- Parking restrictions will be in place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Below is a list of parking garages that will be available for visitors:
Cleveland Municipal Lot - 1500 South Marginal Road
The Cleveland Municipal lot will open beginning at 5:00am. Each parker will be charged $50.00 per space. The lot will have port-johns and trash receptacles available for the convenience of parkers. Customers with monthly parking cards will have access to the Municipal lot using their monthly parking card prior to noon.
Willard Garage and Surface Lot – 601 Lakeside Avenue
The Willard garage and surface lot will be open at 5:00am. The parking rate is $60.00. Overnight parking is prohibited. There will be no tailgating allowed in the garage or on the surface lot. Customers with monthly parking cards will be allowed to enter and exit the garage using their monthly parking card.
The Canal Parking lot – 1519 Merwin Avenue
The Canal Parking lot will be open and available for parking at the special event rate of $50.00 per space at 12:01 am April 8th. Parkers will be required to pay at one of the two pay stations conveniently located on the lot. Tailgating activities are permitted on this lot. The lot will have port-johns and trash receptacles available for the convenience of parkers.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
If you are worried about traffic, the Greater Cleveland RTA will have several options:
- RTA's Waterfront Line will be running April 6, 7, and 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. and offers an easy connection from Tower City in the heart of Downtown to North Coast Harbor and the Great Lakes Science Center
TRAFFIC
- The city of Cleveland is asking travelers to have fuel in their car's gas tank, food, water and any necessary medication on hand as the downtown area could see heavy vehicle traffic, causing for long delays.
WILL CELL SERVICE BE AFFECTED?
- The City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County do not expect large-scale cellular network disruptions, but officials say that large crowds can lead to increased use of bandwidth, and cell service can be compromised and slowed down. If there is a cellular outage, individuals are asked to utilize wifi calling. Travelers are also encouraged to have maps in case GPS services are temporarily unavailable.