Traveling to Myrtle Beach? Your guide to navigating traffic during Memorial Day weekend
A series of traffic patterns will be in place this weekend in Myrtle Beach as officials anticipate thousands of tourists to flood the city for Memorial Day.
With Atlantic Beach Bike Fest, also known as Black Bike Week, postponed to Labor Day weekend due to the coronavirus pandemic, city officials will not implement the 23-mile traffic loop this year due to a lack of enforcement. However, with large crowds and heavily congested roadways still expected over the holiday, officials announced a new plan for motorists and pedestrians to follow to ensure the safety of both residents and tourists.
City officials are aiming to prevent the chaotic and near-fatal scene that erupted last weekend when the city reopened for tourism but lacked the appropriate enforcement. Mayor Brenda Bethune said the city didn’t expect the crowds it received, noting that officials presumed the occupancy rate to be at 30 percent instead of the 100 percent it inevitably reached.
Bethune stressed the events that took place, including the gang-related shooting on Ocean Boulevard that injured multiple people Sunday night, is not normal for Myrtle Beach, urging the crime rate has decreased over the last two years. While stating that all cities experience crime, she said Myrtle Beach is a safe place to live and vacation.
“The circumstances that took place last weekend … that is not something that we ever could have prepared for; we were under the impression the occupancy rate in our hotels would be much lower than what we actually saw,” Bethune said during a news conference Thursday morning.
“We do know that we will have to expect large crowds this weekend, and we are prepared for that.”
Myrtle Beach Police Chief Amy Prock said the city is expecting 75 to 100 percent occupancy rate for the holiday weekend.
Prock explained there will be heavy police presence along Ocean Boulevard, with nearly 450 local, state and federal officers providing assistance. Pedestrian barricades are placed along sidewalks between 29th Avenue North and 29th Avenue South to keep people off the street and ensure crosswalks are utilized.
Traffic will flow one way on Ocean Boulevard starting 6 a.m. Friday and ending 6 a.m. Monday. Traffic will be directed to travel southbound, with the northbound lane reserved for emergency traffic, Prock said.
Access on and off Ocean Boulevard will be limited to those with Kings Highway traffic signals, including 21st and 29th Avenues North, and 3rd, 13th, 17th, 19th and 25th Avenues South. Access for emergency vehicles only will be limited to 16th and 8th Avenues North and 6th Avenue South.
Prock added traffic control devices will also be staged at various intersections throughout the city in the event of collision or incident. If a roadway becomes too heavily congested and traffic demands exceed the roadway capacity, officials said a team of officers will divert traffic to a less congested area.
Furthermore, traffic cones will be placed at streets leading into residential areas to avoid motorists disrupting neighborhoods. Prock assured there will be increased police presence near residential neighborhoods and back streets with the loop not being enforced.
South Carolina Highway Patrol will also monitor eight intersections during peak travel times. Their role will be to direct traffic and control the intersection to keep motorists moving and ensure the intersection doesn’t back up, officials said.
Golf carts will be prohibited on Ocean Boulevard on avenues south of 29th Avenue North from Friday until traffic devices are moved on Monday. Exceptions will be made for golf carts used by police. Mopeds will also be prohibited south of 29th Avenue North from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. starting Thursday until restrictions lift on Monday.
Officials said mopeds could be prohibited throughout the weekend if problems arise. Businesses should also schedule deliveries prior to 2 p.m. due to increased traffic, officials said.
Those who violate the city’s rules will face a fine up to $500, imprisonment of 30 days or both.
Bethune said the city’s main concern this weekend is the safety of the community, asserting those who compromise the safety of both residents and tourists will face consequences.
“We hope there are no problems this weekend, as I’ve mentioned before, we cannot control what people come here to do,” Bethune said. “But if you come to Myrtle Beach with the mindset you want to cause problems and you want to come here and disobey the law, you will get caught.”
Despite the city being open for tourism, social distancing and hygiene recommendations are still advised to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, officials said. Prock stressed residents and tourists should follow the city’s government and police Facebook pages for updated information but to call 843-918-4636 for any questions or concerns.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 11:07 AM.
