04/05/2024
Navigating Kingston on eclipse day, KINGSTON, ON/ APRIL 4, 2024
In just a few short days, the total solar eclipse will be here and Kingston will be treated to an out-of-this-world celestial show. If you haven’t already made your travel plans for eclipse day, the below road closures and detours can help you organize your trip.
Follow the City on social media for live traffic and detour information on Monday, April 8. Road closures and detours:
Travellers should prepare for additional dynamic road detours that day, and always follow the directions of on-site traffic personnel.
Drivers are reminded that sharing the road safely is particularly important when attending large gatherings that generate higher than normal traffic volumes. If you are travelling on roads to attend solar eclipse events, be prepared for delays getting to and from your destination and exercise caution and patience.
• The federally owned and operated LaSalle Causeway will be closed to all public access. This includes vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Detour signage is in place.
• Market St. will be closed between King St. to Ontario St. starting 7 p.m. April 5 to 7 a.m. April 9.
• At 12:01 a.m. on April 8, one lane northbound and one lane southbound on Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard will be closed. Further lane reductions northbound on Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard to Dalton Avenue will be in place as needed. These lane restrictions allow essential and emergency services to access critical health care services.
• At 7:30 a.m. on April 8, the City will close King Street between Barrie St. and Mowat St. and Sir John A Macdonald from Union St. to King St., to ensure access to the emergency department at Kingston General Hospital remains unobstructed for emergency vehicles and those seeking emergency health care. Residents seeking to access care at KGH can do so at the main KGH entrance off Stuart Street. For those seeking the Emergency Department they can access it by traveling down Barrie St. to Stuart St. to George St. to King St. When leaving KGH we ask that people proceed to exit through closure at Barrie St.
• Local traffic will be permitted on side streets south of Union St. and access to Stuart St. and to the hospital will be maintained via Albert St. and Barrie St. Local traffic is defined as drivers who live or conduct business on affected streets.
Kingston Transit
Kingston Transit will offer free public transit on April 8 to support residents and visitors accessing viewing sites and activities. It will provide regular service, with some select detours, on all routes until 3 p.m.
All service on routes will pause from approximately 3 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. to allow riders to view the eclipse. After 3:30 p.m., due to the significant amount of traffic congestion that is predicted after the eclipse, Kingston Transit will operate a modified transit network until the end of service.
Kingston Transit trip-planning tools (TransitApp and Google Maps) will be available over the weekend to help in planning your travel on April 8.
