As President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches, many in Palm Beach are wondering: What does this mean for security around his Mar-a-Lago Club?
Since Trump won the Nov. 5 general election, there have been a few visible increases to the level of security around his Palm Beach home.
For those returning to the island for the season or those planning a visit in the coming months, the sight of U.S. Secret Service agents and Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies that have become so familiar to those who have been in town since before the election might be a surprise.
To understand what to expect in the coming months and years for Trump’s second term in the White House, his first term serves as a sign of things to come — though some sources say to expect even more stringent security measures.
Traffic and road closures
One of the biggest questions asked by Palm Beach residents, business owners and visitors in recent days has been: What happens next with South Ocean Boulevard?
The road has been closed, first completely and then intermittently, since July 20, when the U.S. Secret Service ordered it to shut down from the Southern Boulevard traffic circle north to the intersection with South County Road. That move came in the wake of the July 13 assassination attempt at Trump’s campaign rally that injured the presidential candidate and two of his supporters, and left another dead.
There is a large law enforcement presence around President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, including members of the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach Police and U.S. Secret Service.
South Ocean originally was to be completely closed around the clock every day until at least the Nov. 5 general election. The Secret Service, Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office announced a deal in August to reopen the road when Trump is gone for a long enough period of time that it makes logistical and security sense to remove the checkpoints, officials have said.
Residents and people visiting the area within the security zone may enter and exit only through the north checkpoint at the intersection of South Ocean Boulevard and South County Road. Only emergency vehicles can travel through the south checkpoint at the Southern Boulevard traffic circle.
During Trump’s first term, the periodic road closures fractured Palm Beach. Business owners decried the lack of traffic into Midtown and people complained of hours-long delays at the Royal Park Bridge. As Trump has run his transition into the White House from Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach has experienced major traffic congestion that officials said is exacerbated by the closure of South Ocean Boulevard.
Trucks and other large vehicles are stopped on Southern Boulevard westbound as they approach President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, where security has been increasingly tight.
Visible security near Mar-a-Lago
Those approaching Mar-a-Lago either from the west on Southern Boulevard or the south on South Ocean Boulevard will see a noted uptick in law enforcement presence as they get closer to Trump’s property.
Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies are stationed on the west side of the Southern Boulevard Bridge, where trucks and other large vehicles are stopped and searched before they can travel to or past Mar-a-Lago.
There typically is a large gathering of news reporters and cameras, supporters and occasionally protesters on the approach to Palm Beach from West Palm.
There also are U.S. Coast Guard and sheriff’s office boats that patrol the Intracoastal Waterway next to Mar-a-Lago, and after the election, the Secret Service added robotic dogs to the layers of protection at the club.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: A look at security around Mar-a-Lago ahead of Trump’s inauguration