NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — The quiet streets of downtown Niagara Falls will soon look different as hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world are expected to flood the Cataract City for the solar eclipse.
In exactly one week, Western New York will be experiencing this potentially once-in-a-lifetime event.
Co-owner of Donatello's Pizzeria, Steve Fournier, said his number one concern isn't stocking up on toppings — it's traffic.
"If there's a gridlock and I can't get here, I'm going to have to find some means of getting here," Fournier said. "I might have to close that day ... I compare it to the Fourth of July or Memorial Day when traffic is backed up getting across the bridge or coming to the United States."
Fournier isn't the only business owner in the area concerned about the roads. Frank Strangio owns multiple hotels in Niagara Falls, and he said the traffic leaves him with a lot of questions.
"Our hotels will be full, but how many other people that aren't staying overnight are going to flock to the town that night? How are the traffic patterns going to be? Are we going to be able to get our guests in and out? Are we going to be able to get our staff in and out?"
Strangio said his hotels have been fully booked for at least a month.
"When you think about all the places on Earth that it's [the eclipse is] best to view, and Niagara Falls with the name recognition, then it sort of makes sense," he said. "The demand for rooms has been extreme."
Destination Niagara estimates the hype around the eclipse will pump upwards of $1 million into the local economy.
Fournier said if he is able to keep his "open" sign lit up, his business is as ready as can be.
"We're going to definitely roll," he said. "We'll have a lot of things prepped, a lot of things ready to go ... a little extra stock and a little pep talk with the boys."
However, he said only time will tell how business will play out.
"Good luck Western New York — that's all I can say."
