Myrtle Beach police lay out Bikefest plans at meeting for area businesses

Myrtle Beach Police Department officials invited businesses to work with them by spreading information to their employees and neighbors at a Memorial Day Bikefest meeting Friday morning at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center.

The meeting was open to the public and geared toward informing local businesses about police operational plans during this year’s Bikefest, and was the first of several set to take place at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center during the month of February.

Lt. Joey Crosby, spokesman for Myrtle Beach Police Department, led the meeting and laid out some of the department’s safety plans and future traffic tactics, invited local business officials to ask questions, and called upon them to do their part by using the information shared at the meeting attended by roughly a dozen people.

“Please help us do our part. We want to make a difference. We want to make this event safe,” Crosby said.

Officials from Coast RTA, Ripley’s Entertainment, Aqua Beach Inn, and The Kegler Group were among those present.

“I just feel like it’s important for me to be connected with what’s going on in the city and find out what I can do to keep my employees safe, to keep me safe, learn what’s going on and be more informed,” said Angela Kegler, owner of The Kegler Group.

Her business is a consulting firm near The Market Common and though business hours aren’t impacted by the set 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. traffic loop operating time, she felt it was important to learn what she could and pass information on to her employees, other business officials, and neighbors, and plans to attend future meetings.

“If they’re doing their part, I want us to be doing our part as well,” Kegler said of police.

Crosby said the police department plans to apply many of the same measures used during 2015 and plans to expand upon those practices.

Last year authorities said they saw a reduction in crime and traffic incidents and cited communication among officers and multiple agencies as a key part of that success. This year, police plan to build on that and also want to tackle “quality of life” issues such as noise complainants and disorderly conduct issues and plan to employ extra resources to address those problems.

“Our goal is to create a safer environment for attendees, residents, and also public safety officials,” Crosby said.

The department plans to increase their visibility, which they did last year too, to give them a stronger presence. Police will work closely with other city officials and departments. Police will be wearing bright yellow and ambassadors will wear bright orange so they can be quickly identified, if needed.

Event staff will also be in place monitoring barricades to make sure they’re not moved.

Last year’s 23-mile traffic loop will be back and takes drivers from 29th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach onto Ocean Boulevard south and around to Kings Highway, north to Harrelson Boulevard – which turns into George Bishop Parkway – west to Waccamaw Boulevard, which runs next to U.S. 501. It then leads motorists onto S.C. 31 heading north to Grissom Parkway south, then onto U.S. 17 Bypass and back to 29th Avenue North.

Barriers will separate pedestrians from vehicular traffic along several miles of Ocean Boulevard from 29th Avenue North to South Kings Highway.

Traffic on Ocean Boulevard will be southbound only, and 16th Avenue North, Eighth Avenue North, Sixth Avenue South, 21st Avenue South will be designated as emergency lanes for police and emergency vehicle use only with no access to Ocean Boulevard.

A map detailing the location of the traffic loop, barricades, emergency lanes, and closed roads isn’t on the Myrtle Beach Police Department’s website yet, but it is coming, Crosby said, and businesses can use it as a tool to help employees getting to and from work and to guide patrons as well.

The map will be in pamphlet form and officers will also be able to share it with those who have Quick Response readers on their cell phones.

“Although we feel like 2015 was successful, we want to make 2016 better, and we really want the community to be involved,” Crosby said.

Russell Jones, with the Aqua Beach Inn, said he gained an understanding of the city’s plan that would help him direct employees and guests.

He said he plans to spread what he learned to staff and maybe put some of the information up on the hotel’s website for incoming guests.

“We want to work with everybody on this as best we can,” he said.

Police will also soon start meeting with neighborhood watch groups to make sure they are informed and answer any questions or concerns, Crosby said.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 5:49 PM with the headline "Myrtle Beach police lay out Bikefest plans at meeting for area businesses."