Heights council hears plans for eclipse, told of potential problem areas

Killeen Daily News
By Dave Miller | Herald staff writer
September 5, 2023

HARKER HEIGHTS — Extreme fuel shortages, empty supermarket shelves, hours-long traffic jams and cellphone network outages.

That list of calamities may sound like something out of a post-apocalyptic novel, but it was tossed out by Harker Heights city officials Tuesday as some of the possible impacts of next April’s total eclipse of the sun — and the huge number of people it will draw to Bell County.

The Harker Heights City Council heard a presentation Tuesday on some of the programs and activities planned leading up to the April 8, 2024, eclipse, whose path of totality will include the Killeen-Harker Heights area.

The eclipse’s path also includes Lampasas, Temple, Waco and the Dallas area.

As a result of the rare celestial event — which will place Harker Heights in total darkness for just over 4 minutes as the moon covers the sun’s face — Bell County officials are anticipating as many as 1 million people coming to and through the county to view the phenomenon and participating in related activities in the area.

City Manager David Mitchell, in citing the huge number of visitors that could potentially come to the area, said that there are serious concerns about the local cell network going down due to the overwhelming volume of calls.

“If we get visitors in the area of the 1 million mark, your cell service is going to be gone,” he said.

Mitchell also said county officials are predicting up to a 14-hour traffic delay on Interstate 14 on the day of the eclipse, which he later said has brought about concerns regarding public safety, getting emergency vehicles to where they are needed and monitoring areas in the city.

After the meeting, Mitchell and Mayor Michael Blomquist talked about some of the other potential problems associated with the massive influx of visitors to the area, including runs on food and supplies at local supermarkets and gas stations running out of fuel because of the high demand.

Mitchell said during the workshop that the city will continue to educate the public as the event draws closer, and urged everyone to plan now to filling their gas tank earlier, getting their shopping done in advance and making sure their prescriptions are up to date.

Library Director Lisa Youngblood — who handed out eclipse-viewing sunglasses to the council — told members that the city already has a live website on the eclipse, which includes a map of the eclipse’s path, safety tips, tips for businesses and visitors, and a countdown clock for the event. The sites address is https://eclipse2024.org/communities/city/38830.html

Youngblood said the library plans workshops and school visits leading up to the eclipse and will offer special eclipse programs during spring break, which is the week before the eclipse.

Youngblood said she has a meeting planned this week with Killeen ISD Superintendent Jo Ann Fey to discuss educational programs on the event.

Parks and Recreation Director Jeff Achee told the council that planning for the April eclipse has been difficult.

“We have no previous events to compare this to,” Achee said. “This is going to be unique.”

Achee said his department has plans to work with the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce to educate business owners and also will prepare a block party tool kit. In addition, he said his staff will be present at most parks in the city for education, information and crowd control.

The city is also getting ready for the annular eclipse of the sun, which will take place next month, on Oct. 14. On that date, the moon’s shadow will again cross the Harker Heights area, but because the moon will be farther from the earth, it will not cover the entire face of the sun, resulting in a “ring of fire” effect at its peak.

Harker Heights is just outside the area where the impact will be the greatest.

“The annular eclipse will just be like a large event, such as the Food, Wine and Brew Fest,” Achee said. “With the total eclipse, we may be dealing with crowds we haven’t seen before.”

Mitchell said the city will continue to update the public on plans for the eclipse weekend over the next seven months, as well as educational opportunities and tips for residents.

He said the city will continue to work on plans to make the day of the eclipse a positive experience for the city’s residents while also minimizing the potential problems it may bring.