Barricades on the Blvd: The holiday is over, and they’re still up, but for how long?
Those visiting Myrtle Beach should expect to see the pedestrian barricades lined up along Ocean Boulevard until further notice.
To ensure the continued safety of both residents and tourists, Myrtle Beach officials have opted to keep the barricades between 29th Avenue North and 29th Avenue South in place for a portion of the summer months. City Spokesperson Mark Kruea said they won’t be up for the entire summer but an exact removal date has yet to be set.
The barricades are typically only used during Memorial Day weekend to monitor traffic and keep pedestrians on the sidewalk and using crosswalks to avoid an accident. Atlantic Beach Bikefest, commonly known as Black Bike Week, usually takes place over Memorial Day and results in an influx of bikers and tourists visiting the area.
The annual event was postponed to Labor Day Weekend this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the city has still seen thousands flood the area the past two weekends since the city reopened to tourism following a COVID-19 shutdown. Three gang-related shootings also took place within an eight-day stretch.
While the barricades will remain on a daily basis, there won’t be any specific traffic patterns enforced unless the police department decides otherwise, Kruea said. Last weekend, traffic on Ocean Boulevard was one-way going southbound with the northbound lane restricted to police personnel. Several avenues were blocked off to traffic.
“Traffic will remain the same, to my knowledge,” Kruea said. “However, throughout the summer, the police department has the option of diverting traffic if needed due to congestion or for an accident, etc. That’s something the officers have done for years during the busy summer on an as-needed basis.”
This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 3:33 PM.
