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Our Town by William Kelly: Roadblock near Mar-a-Lago may be ‘lifted shortly’

South Ocean Boulevard near Mar-a-Lago could reopen as early as this weekend, which is when President-elect Donald Trump is expected to depart for the nation’s capital on the eve of Monday’s inauguration.

Once the road is open, the town will notify residents in an email alert, Palm Beach Police Captain William Rothrock said Friday.

South Ocean Boulevard has been continuously closed to through-traffic from South County Road to the Southern Boulevard traffic circle since November 4, the day before the General Election.

The closure, ordered by the U.S. Secret Service to protect the former president and president-elect whenever he is in residence at Mar-a-Lago, has temporarily severed the town’s only major north-south artery, effectively splitting the island in half and causing major traffic impacts.

Town Manager Kirk Blouin told the Palm Beach Civic Association this week he expects the road closure to be “lifted shortly.”

“No one knows but the president-elect himself how often he’ll be down here,” Blouin said. “But the expectation is he will follow the same pattern [he did during his] previous years as president, which is [returning to Palm Beach] during holidays and every second or third weekend.”

Meanwhile, other traffic and parking concerns continue to weigh heavily on the island’s residents and public officials.

Worth Avenue Parking

Responding to the concerns of local business owners, the Town Council on Tuesday decided to extend paid parking sessions on Worth Avenue to a maximum of three hours instead of two hours.

Launched last fall, the paid parking system replaced all free commercial spaces in the 100 to 400 blocks of Seaview Avenue southward to Hammon Avenue.

On Worth Avenue and South County Road, parking is $5 an hour via the ParkMobile app.

Any motorist who wants to stay beyond the two-hour time limit must move his or her vehicle to another zone (block). Under the change approved by the council, to take effect immediately, motorists can pay for up to three hours before having to move their vehicle.

Shop owners said the two-hour limit doesn’t provide visitors, many of whom are older, with adequate time and to shop and have lunch without having to move their vehicle to a different space.

“With the zone parking, if you park two hours as a non-resident then move [your vehicle] to a space across the street, the app won’t work,” said Sherry Frankel, owner of Sherry Frankel’s Melangerie at 256 Worth Avenue. “I think that’s just such a turnoff.”

Palm Beachers with a resident parking decal can park for up to two hours at any metered space without having to pay. If they want to stay longer, they may then start a session through ParkMobile.

Bradley Place Corridor

The council on Tuesday considered several traffic lane redesign options intended to ease the traffic flow in the busy Bradley Place corridor between Sunrise Avenue and Royal Poinciana Way.

Staff was asked to return at the February council meeting with cost estimates for each alternative.

One option is to remove the northbound turn lane on Bradley Place, between Royal Poinciana Way and Sunset Avenue, and adding a through lane and a dedicated turn lane using space currently devoted to on-street parking and a loading zone.

Sunset Avenue would become a two-way street with the addition of a traffic light.

The council also is considering a dedicated right turn lane from Bradley Place onto Royal Poinciana Way. That would require approval from the Florida Department of Transportation because Royal Poinciana Way is a state road.

“There’s no question it will create efficiencies,” Blouin said of the redesign options for Bradley Place. “I’m not sure we can quantify it to an exact science.”

With any of the options, he said aesthetic impacts and any loss of parking spaces must be carefully considered.

Overall traffic on the island increased by 5 percent annually for three consecutive years until 2024, when it increased by 6 percent, according to town traffic consultant Kimley-Horn and Associates.

Blouin and Public Works Director Paul Brazil have both repeatedly said there is no “magic bullet” to solve the town’s traffic woes, but that the town is doing all it can to improve traffic flow where possible.

Blouin said the traffic problem is tied to the growth in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County and is regional, and that Palm Beach is working closely with the city and county to ease congestion where possible.

“We are looking for improvements anywhere we can get them,” Blouin said.

 
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