President Donald Trump returned to Palm Beach County Thursday evening for the Easter holiday.
The FAA says air travel is restricted until Sunday at 4:30 p.m. along with road closures around Mar-a-Lago.
Air Force One landed at Palm Beach International Airport at about 6:35 p.m.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office says it has spent $3.5 million on security for President Trump and his guests since he was elected president in November.
“It sounds like a lot. It is a lot. But, when you compare it to New York City, who is up to about $35 million, it’s not quite that much. It’s still a good chunk of change,” Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in an interview posted on the PBSO Twitter feed.
The sheriff's office is hoping to be reimbursed for the costs. Palm Beach County is considering a special tax be levied on the Mar-a-Lago property if the federal government doesn't reimburse costs.
Based on information provided by the Secret Service, road closures will begin on Thursday, April 13th at 8 a.m. The temporary road closures and adjusted traffic patterns around Mar-a-Lago will be in place through Sunday evening, April 16. All forms of travel, including pedestrian travel, will be prohibited on S. Ocean Blvd from the intersection of S. County Rd. to Southern Blvd.
The fastest designated route to West Palm Beach will be County Rd. to Royal Palm Way.
Additionally, effective immediately, while the President is in the Town of Palm Beach, the U.S. Secret Service has mandated commercial vehicle restrictions in the vicinity of Mar-A-Lago. Commercial vehicles is defined by the Secret Service for this purpose, to include anything larger than a passenger van.
Commercial vehicles are prohibited from traveling east on Southern Blvd. (SR 80/98) from the City of West Palm Beach into the Town of Palm Beach. Commercial vehicles traveling north on S. Ocean Blvd (A1A) from Lake Worth Road will be prohibited from continuing north of the 1200 block of S. Ocean Blvd. (near Emerald Lane). Information from the Town of Palm Beach.
From Thursday afternoon until Monday afternoon the Coast Guard has set up security zones in the waters around Mar-a-Lago.
Palm Beach security zone restrictions:
Zone (1): This zone is always in effect. No vessels or person will be permitted to enter this zone consisting of the waters of the Lake Worth Lagoon from the southern tip of the Everglades Island in the north to approximately 1,000 yards from the south of the Southern Boulevard Bridge on the south and eastern shore line west of Fisherman Island.
Zone (2): This zone is always in effect. All vessels transiting the second zone shall maintain a steady speed and shall not slow or stop from waters of the Lake Worth Lagoon including the Intracoastal Waterway from the southern tip of the Everglades Island in the north to approximately 1000 yards from the south of the bridge on the south and from the western shore line to the western edge of the Fisherman Island in the east. Vessels needing to wait for the Southern Boulevard Bridge to open in zone 2 are permitted to wait in this zone only for the draw bridge to raise for safe passage.
Zone (3): This zone is always in effect. All vessels transiting the third zone shall maintain a steady speed and shall not slow or stop from waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Banyan Road in the north to Ocean View Road in the south and approximately 1,800 yards east of the shoreline in the north portion of Zone 3 extending to approximately 2,000 yards east of the shoreline in the south portion.
Vessels seeking authorization to transit security zone 1 must contact the Coast Guard via marine-band radio via VHF-FM channel 16.
Violation of a security zone may result in a civil penalty in excess of $88,000, a criminal penalty up to $10,000, and/or imprisonment up to 12 years. (Information from the US Coast Guard).
So far, PBSO has spent approx. $3.5 Million protecting @POTUS & his guests since he was President Elect. We are hopeful for reimbursement. pic.twitter.com/nWg3bhVsyP
— PBSO (@PBCountySheriff) April 11, 2017
