South Ocean Boulevard to close April 11 for Trump visit to Palm Beach

South Ocean Boulevard next to President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will close starting Friday, from the Southern Boulevard traffic circle to South County Road, Palm Beach said in an alert.
The announcement comes ahead of Trump’s expected Friday evening arrival for his ninth weekend in Palm Beach since taking office.
When Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, the Secret Service enforces road closures and heightens security on surrounding streets and waterways near the property.

The road next to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will close to through traffic Friday until further notice, town officials said.

South Ocean Boulevard will shut down between the Southern Boulevard traffic circle and the intersection with South County Road, the town said in an alert sent Thursday morning. While Palm Beach did not specify what time the road will close, the town typically sends the alert about 24 hours before the road is expected to shut down.

Palm Beach’s announcement follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s issuance earlier this week of temporary flight restrictions over Palm Beach. It’s expected that Trump will arrive in Palm Beach County after 4:45 p.m. Friday, then leave before 9 p.m. Saturday to travel to Miami.

Flight restrictions for Miami indicate Trump will arrive there after 8 p.m. Saturday and leave before 2:45 a.m. Sunday. It then appears that Trump will return to Palm Beach after 11:30 p.m. Saturday, and leave before 6:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the flight restrictions.

This will be Trump’s ninth visit to Palm Beach since his Jan. 20 inauguration.

What to expect with Trump in town

Those who live, work and are visiting homes within the area affected by the South Ocean Boulevard’s closure will be allowed in after providing identification, and they can enter and exit only through the north security checkpoint at South County Road, officials have said.

South Ocean Boulevard next to Mar-a-Lago first closed July 20 as part of increased security measures ordered by the U.S. Secret Service following the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump.

Officials initially said the road would be closed 24 hours a day through at least the Nov. 5 election, but the town, Secret Service, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and Mar-a-Lago Club on Aug. 19 announced they reached an agreement to open the road when Trump is not home.

That agreement remains in place, and the road closes when Trump is at Mar-a-Lago, then lifts when he leaves for a long enough period of time that it makes logistical sense to remove and replace the concrete barricades, traffic cones and electronic signs that go along with the closure, law enforcement sources have told the Daily News.

When Trump returns, bridge schedules also are adjusted as part of temporary security zones announced late last year by the U.S. Coast Guard around Mar-a-Lago.

When Trump is home, the Flagler Memorial and Southern Boulevard bridges have similar opening schedules:

Monday through Friday: From 7:30 to 9 a.m., the bridge will open on the quarter-hour; from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., the bridge will open on the quarter and three-quarter hour; from 2:15 to 6 p.m., the bridge will open on the quarter-hour; and from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., the bridge will open on the quarter and three-quarter hour.
Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays: The bridge will open on the quarter- and three-quarter hour.

The Southern Boulevard Bridge also may close without notice to allow for motorcades to pass uninterrupted, the Coast Guard said. Because the bridge-opening times are staggered, the Royal Park Bridge’s schedule when Trump is in town is different from the schedule for the other two bridges:

Monday through Friday: From 7:30 to 9 a.m., the bridge will open on the half-hour; from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., the bridge will open on the hour and half-hour; from 2:15 to 6 p.m., the bridge will open on the half-hour; and from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., the bridge will open on the hour and half-hour.
Saturday, Sunday and federal holidays: The bridge will open on the hour and half-hour.

Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at [email protected]. Subscribe today to support our journalism.

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