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How residents are preparing for closures of Northlake Boulevard and Beeline Highway

Residents tell WTPV reporter Victor Jorges they're planning to leave town for the week, while others are doing the opposite and plan to stay put and not leave their homes that week.

WPTV

Howard Gelman

By: Victor Jorges

Posted

and last updated

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — With only three weeks until the full closure of a busy intersection in northern Palm Beach County, people are finding ways to avoid the traffic headaches.

The intersection at Northlake Boulevard and Beeline Highway will be closed starting Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. for at least eight days while CSX makes repairs to train tracks.

Residents tell WTPV reporter Victor Jorges they’re planning to leave town for the week, while others are doing the opposite and plan to stay put and not leave their homes that week.

WATCH: How residents are preparing for closures on Northlake Boulevard

How residents are preparing for closures of Northlake Boulevard and Beeline Highway

Peter Weisz has lived in the Ibis community for decades.

"What we are planning to do, as many residents are, is to move out," Weisz said. "We're actually evacuating our homes."

Weisz told WPTV he's concerned about covering the hotel bills.

"Now, who's going to compensate us for that hotel?" Weisz said. "The railroad, the county, the city, who do we turn to get compensated for that?"

People living in the area tell us they’re rescheduling doctor’s appointments and stocking up on food, so they don’t have to drive anywhere.

"(Having) that block for eight days is not something that we can live with," Weisz said. "Absolutely out of the question."

Discover the Palm Beaches is encouraging residents to take advantage of the closure by booking a staycation. They're offering discounts at some hotels, including free breakfast, kids staying free, and up to 30% off rates.

Howard Gelman also lives in the area and said he's staying put for those eight days as much as he can.

"The main thing is to make sure that all doctors' appointments are covered or rescheduled," Gelman said. "Also, we're gonna have to make sure that we have enough food in the house because we can't go, we can't go east."

Although residents are concerned about emergency crews accessing the closure, FDOT officials told county leaders that it won't be an issue and emergency crews will be able to cross through.

Weisz told Jorges that his wife is a concierge physician, and sometimes she has to visit patients in the middle of the night.

"There are women that are expecting babies that will not be able to get to the hospital in time," Weisz said, "these are urgent, critical matters."

He's now reflecting on his home's location.

"We came to the realization when we moved here that we're going to be living on something of an island. In other words, highly isolated with only one access point," Weisz said. "We accepted that, but we did not accept that that access point would ever be closed."

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