Mar-a-Lago, Secret Service reach deal to reopen road when Trump isn't in Palm Beach

A deal has been reached to reopen a busy road near former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach at times when the Republican nominee for president is not home.

Mar-a-Lago, the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies reached an agreement late last week to reopen South Ocean Boulevard next to Trump's property when the president is not in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago said in a news release.

Palm Beach Town Manager Kirk Blouin and Police Chief Nicholas Caristo met with the Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to review the plan, police spokesman Capt. Will Rothrock said. The town confirmed that the changes take effect immediately, though the barricade will remain in place through at least Tuesday because Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago on Monday.

"There will still be serious traffic impacts resulting from intermittent S.R. A1A closures coupled with historic seasonal rises in traffic volume within the town," Rothrock said. "We will continue to work towards short- and long-term solutions that address traffic impacts, safety, and security concerns of our Town’s residents with local and regional stakeholders."

The agreement comes days after the Town Council at a meeting Aug. 13 directed staff to look at possible legal options — including stripping the club of its ability to operate — as frustrations with the closure have mounted and residents have inundated the town with concerns about safety and congestion.

The Secret Service ordered the road to be closed effective July 20 following the July 13 attempted assassination of Trump. South Ocean Boulevard has been closed around-the-clock, seven days a week, whether Trump is home or not since the closure. Officials previously had said it would remain closed through at least the Nov. 5 general election.

"Today’s meeting illustrates the strong partnerships between the U.S. Secret Service and our local government and law enforcement partners, and we appreciate the Town of Palm Beach’s continued patience and understanding as we work together to ensure the safety and security of our protectees and the public," U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Melissa McKenzie said.

Trump "was very opposed" to closing South Ocean Boulevard, according to Mar-a-Lago's statement.

"President Trump, the Trump family and the Mar-a-Lago Club do not want to inconvenience anyone, especially their neighbors and greater community in Palm Beach," a Trump family spokesperson said in the news release. "The Trumps have been members of the community for 30 years; it is their home, and they share the sentiments of fellow town residents."

The updated road closure will be continuously evaluated, Rothrock said, noting that changes may be needed as necessary.

"Town Administration and the Police Department want to thank our residents and business owners for their patience and understanding as we work together to solve problems," he said.

In addition to the changes to the road closure, Palm Beach is also working with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Secret Service to alter bridge-opening schedules to allow for better traffic circulation during peak times, something that was done when Trump was president, Rothrock said.

The Coast Guard on Friday announced that it was enacting temporary security zones in the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean around Mar-a-Lago, which took effect Monday and will be in place through Nov. 30. Those security zones open the door for the bridge openings to change.

The Trumps are thankful for the Secret Service and law enforcement agencies for providing security around Mar-a-Lago, the club said.

"The Trump family is particularly grateful for the willingness of these agencies to collaborate with them and town officials to develop a compromise that benefits everyone involved," Mar-a-Lago said in the news release.

Beginning immediately, the affected portion of South Ocean Boulevard will reopen when Trump is not in residence. Whether or not the closure will be lifted depends on how long Trump will be gone, and how long it takes to remove and install the equipment necessary to enact the closure, a person close to the decision said.

When the road was closed in July, the Florida Department of Transportation — which owns and maintains the stretch of South Ocean Boulevard because it is State Road A1A — used a bulldozer to put concrete barricades into place to block parts of the Southern Boulevard traffic circle. Drivers are diverted from entering the roundabout and lanes are marked with orange traffic cones.

Both the north and south checkpoints are staffed by Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies under temporary tents. PBSO also has security checkpoints on the west side of the Southern Boulevard Bridge.

FDOT will send a road crew to open and close the road as requested by PBSO, FDOT District 4 spokesperson Guillermo Canedo said. That will include moving the barrier walls, cones and signs, which may take several hours.

"We sincerely regret any inconvenience these openings/closings may cause and ask for the community’s understanding and continued support as we accommodate these requests as efficiently and safely as we can," Canedo said.

The closure went into effect one week after a 20-year-old gunman shot into the crowd at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, injuring Trump and two of his supporters and killing another person. The Secret Service shot and killed the gunman.

The closure was one of a number of steps taken by the Secret Service to increase security around Trump and his properties, including Trump Tower in Manhattan and Trump's club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Long-term increases in security were already in the works before the recent measures, with the Secret Service working with the town and Mar-a-Lago to request a new guardhouse, which is under construction just inside the club's main gate on South Ocean Boulevard.

Since the stretch of South Ocean closed near Mar-a-Lago, there has been increased congestion on the Royal Park Bridge, the middle of the three bridges that connect Palm Beach to West Palm Beach across the Intracoastal Waterway, officials have said.

Palm Beach officials pushed back on the closure's indefinite nature, questioning the need for the road to shut down when Trump is not there.

When Trump was president, the Secret Service closed South Ocean Boulevard near Mar-a-Lago only when he was in Palm Beach.

The closure "effectively cuts the Town in two," Town Attorney Joanne O'Connor wrote in a July 22 letter to the Secret Service, where she asked the agency to "provide the legal authority authorizing it to implement the road closure for the specified duration and even when protectee(s) are not in residence in the Town."

Here is the full text of Mar-a-Lago's news release:

"Mar-a-Lago has worked with multiple law enforcement agencies, including the United States Secret Service, to forge a compromise to re-open South Ocean Boulevard (State Road A1A) when the former President is not in residence at Mar-a-Lago.

"Following the recent assassination attempt on the former President, the Secret Service announced that the agency would be closing the stretch of South Ocean Boulevard near Mar-a-Lago for the immediate future and will reassess after the upcoming Presidential election this November. Former President Trump was very opposed to the closure of the road. “President Trump, the Trump family and the Mar-a-Lago Club do not want to inconvenience anyone, especially their neighbors and greater community in Palm Beach,” a family spokesperson added. “The Trumps have been members of the community for 30 years; it is their home, and they share the sentiments of fellow town residents.”

"The Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are dedicated to safeguarding both the President and the Trump family and they are deeply appreciated for their vital role in this mission. The Trump family is particularly grateful for the willingness of these agencies to collaborate with them and town officials to develop a compromise that benefits everyone involved.

"Beginning immediately, the affected portion of South Ocean Boulevard will re-open whenever the former President is not in residence and subject to certain security equipment installation timelines."

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.