Headed to the beach for Memorial Day? Here are the details on the traffic loop

The annual Atlantic Beach Bikefest is right around the corner, and with it comes the 23-mile traffic loop and 427 officers from different jurisdictions.

The loop begins at 29th Avenue North and Ocean Boulevard, then moves south to Kings Highway near the Myrtle Beach airport, then up Harrelson Boulevard to U.S. 501, onto northbound S.C. 31, down southbound George Bishop Parkway, onto 29th Avenue North, and back onto Ocean Boulevard.

The loop will go into effect at 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will last until 2 a.m.

Along Ocean Boulevard, motorists can only drive southbound between 29th Avenue North and 29th Avenue South. The northbound lanes will be empty for emergency vehicles.

However, the NAACP filed a race discrimination lawsuit in February against the City of Myrtle Beach and the city's police department over the traffic pattern in place during Bikefest.

Last week, a federal judge told NAACP and Myrtle Beach attorneys that he couldn’t provide a timetable for his decision.

At this time, the Myrtle Beach Police Department does not have a plan in place if the judge rules in favor of the NAACP

"It's going to depend on the ruling," Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock said. "You really can't make a decision until we know what the ruling is."

Pedestrian barricades will be set up from 29th Avenue North to South Kings Highway, with spaces left open for driveways and sidewalks.

According to Capt. Joey Crosby, public information officer for the department, the goal for the department is visibility on roadways.

"It could be someone's first time interacting with law enforcement," Crosby said.

Officers from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Highway Patrol and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources will be stationed along Ocean Boulevard. Crosby said officers will focus on a four to five block area.

Both city cameras and a helicopter will be used to monitor traffic.

According to Crosby, additional message boards will be placed along Kings Highway stating what roads are open to get to Ocean Boulevard.

Further information can be found by calling the department's info line, 843-918-info.

This story was originally published May 15, 2018 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Headed to the beach for Memorial Day? Here are the details on the traffic loop."