Travelers and Palm Beach locals are in for another bout of road closures as South Ocean Boulevard braces itself to close down starting today. This will be the second consecutive weekend the town experiences such restrictions. The Town of Palm Beach has indicated that the closure will be between South County Road and Southern Boulevard, according to an announcement captured by CBS12.
The need to close the road arises from President Donald Trump's expected return to his Mar-a-Lago residence. While officials have not specified a timeline for reopening the road, they have confirmed that those who live or work in the area will still be permitted to pass, as long as they can provide the necessary identification at checkpoints. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration has already put into place temporary flight restrictions over Palm Beach, signaling Trump's impending visit, as the Palm Beach Daily News reports.
President Trump's schedule is tight, with his weekend including a private dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Republican senators and a Fox News interview, according to the same source. Trump is also expected to tentatively be present at the Super Bowl in Louisiana, departing Palm Beach before Sunday evening. The heightened security and closures appear to be a common fixture during the Trump residency, with protocols established allowing for road opening only when the President is not home.
While the Secret Service has not revealed the precise logistics, the U.S. Coast Guard has outlined modified operation times for surrounding bridges to accommodate the President's movements. Interestingly, the Royal Park Bridge operates on a varied schedule in comparison to the Flagler Memorial and Southern Boulevard bridges to possibly ensure an uninterrupted flow of traffic amid these disruptions, as mentioned by the Palm Beach Daily News.
For those concerned about navigating Palm Beach amidst these closures, the town has published more information on checkpoint navigation and the adjusted schedules.
