Spring Break, the annual ritual of college-age youths cruising in cars and on foot along west beach in Biloxi, rolls into town Friday, and Biloxians should expect to see more traffic and more people for this year’s two-day rendition.
If U.S. 90 traffic approaches gridlock a point during the event, Biloxi Police, who implement traffic plans for special events throughout the year, are expected to close all turning bays and route traffic east and west – no turns – to keep traffic moving safely. The primary area of the event is expected to be on west beach U.S. 90 from Rodenburg Avenue to DeBuys Road.
“You can expect traffic to be moving extremely slow from about mid-day Friday to late Saturday night,” said Biloxi Police Chief John Miller. “Our advice is this: If you’re not coming down for the event, and you want to avoid the heavy traffic, take an alternate route, or plan on working around the house Friday and Saturday. That’s what some people I’ve spoken with in the event area plan on doing.”
Miller will be briefing the Biloxi City Council on Spring Break during the council meeting this evening at 6. The meeting is at City Hall and is open to the public.
Those coming to Biloxi for spring break, meanwhile, will find more venues and more entertainment than in years past.
MGM Park, the downtown Biloxi entertainment venue, will host a concert by Lil Uzi Vert Friday night and the Coast Coliseum features a concert by Lil Boosie and others Saturday evening.
The Coast Coliseum, as usual, will be Spring Break headquarters. Gates to the west beach venue will be open all day Friday, with a parking fee beginning at 4 p.m. At 8 p.m., doors to the Convention Center open for a show featuring a DJ and twerk contest expected to run until about 2 a.m.
Gates to the Coliseum open Saturday at 10 a.m. and a $20 per carload parking fee will be charged. There will be outdoor musical acts and a car show starting at 1 p.m. Coliseum doors open at 6 p.m. for the Lil Boosie-headlined concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. and is expected to end about 12:30 a.m. An after-party will then be held in the Convention Center until around 2:30 a.m.
A couple of beachfront restaurants on west beach U.S. 90 are expected to remain open until 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, which is expected to attract more spring breakers into the early morning hours.
Advice on how to enjoy Spring Break
— “Dealing with traffic can really take the fun out of your spring break experience,” says Biloxi Police Chief John Miller. “My advice would be to park your car in a legal space and then plan on walking.”
— Remember that parking bays on U.S. 90 close at 10 p.m.
— For safety, pedestrians will be able to cross U.S. 90 only at crosswalks.
— Don’t drink and drive. Be patient in traffic.
— Traffic will be slow-moving to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination.
— Be respectful of private property.
See background on traffic plan, venting
See the Biloxi Black Beach weekend Facebook page
