Surfside Beach | What to expect Memorial Day weekend

Surfside Beach is preparing for Memorial Day weekend after officials said the town had its first real influx of tourists.

Grand Strand officials have spent nearly a year working to get control of lawlessness on Memorial Day weekend.

Three people died and seven were injured in eight shootings on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach causing Grand Strand officials to take a number of steps to make sure their residents and tourists are safe.

All 21 sworn police officers in Surfside Beach will be working this year, with 13 officers coming to town through mutual aid agreements, Mayor Doug Samples said.

Surfside Beach purchased 23 body cameras for every officer who works full and part time.

The town also had increased traffic congestion last year and Samples said while there are no plans for special traffic patterns on Memorial Day weekend, police will play it by ear.

“If the streets are overcrowded, we will restrict traffic if we have to,” Samples said.

Samples said town officials especially will keep an eye on congestion when a 23-mile traffic loop is in place that is aimed to keep traffic moving on Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach. The loop will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. May 22 to 24.

The loop routes drivers from 29th Avenue North on 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, onto S.C. 31 heading north to Grissom Parkway south, then onto U.S. 17 Bypass and down 29th Avenue North.

Drivers heading north on Kings Highway from Surfside Beach will be turned around at the Myrtle Beach State Park and encouraged to use S.C. Highway 544 to U.S. Highway 17 Bypass to get to their destination.

Samples said officials want to make sure Surfside Beach roads don’t get too congested if drivers decide to head to town instead of driving around on S.C. 544.

This story was originally published April 26, 2015 at 11:41 PM with the headline "Surfside Beach | What to expect Memorial Day weekend."