A total of 16 San Antonio highway segments made it onto TxDOT’s yearend list. Credit: Shutterstock / ddisq

With thousands of people expected to descend on South Texas for a glimpse of the annular eclipse on Saturday, the Texas Department of Transportation is encouraging drivers to be patient on the roads.

Shortly before noon on Saturday, the sky will darken as the moon blocks out the sun’s rays, creating a “ring of fire” eclipse. However, the exciting event is likely to have an unwelcome side effect, according to TxDOT: really bad traffic.

“As this intergalactic experience comes front and center, heavier traffic is expected throughout the weekend when out-of-state visitors and Texans travel to get the perfect view,” TxDOT officials said in a statement. “TxDOT asks that drivers plan ahead for possible delays and give extra time to get to their destination before and after the eclipse.”

Indeed, Boerne residents are already griping about increased traffic and visitors on Friday afternoon on community Facebook groups. Some speculate it’s due to eclipse tourism.

To avoid traffic headaches, TxDOT encourages those attending one of the many viewing parties in and around San Antonio to leave with plenty of time to spare due to traffic conditions.

Additionally, TxDOT reminds drivers not to try to view the eclipse from a moving vehicle and to wear special eclipse sunglasses to avoid eye damage.

“Be calm and courteous on the road, slow down, and be ready for more traffic,” TxDOT officials said.

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This article appears in Oct 4-17, 2023.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...