PCB gearing up for 'extremely heavy' traffic this weekend from Thunder Beach, air show
PANAMA CITY BEACH — With two major events this weekend, the Beach is slated to boom.
According to Tommy Anderson, a member of the Beach Police's community outreach program, local law enforcement officials are gearing up to grapple with heavy traffic in Panama City Beach this weekend caused by two events: the 2024 Thunder Beach Spring Rally and the inaugural Gulf Coast Salute Air Show.
Thunder Beach, a biannual motorcycle rally known to attract thousands of tourists, will be held May 1-5. The air show will occur May 3-5.
"Traffic within the city will be extremely heavy," Anderson said in a press conference on Monday. "We suspect Nautilus (Street) to Pier Park Drive will be very congested, (and) we'd like to remind people not to block those intersections when they're traveling through that area.
"Also, with the motorcycles — everybody's going to be focused on the aircraft, but look twice because there will be a bunch of motorcycles in town."
A post on the city's Facebook page states the air show will occur May 3-5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Russell-Fields Pier. Past reports note Thunder Beach will be held May 1-5 at multiple locations throughout the city, including Frank Brown Park and Harley-Davidson of Panama City Beach.
A full schedule for the Gulf Coast Salute Air Show is listed on Visit Panama City Beach's website. Friday will be a rehearsal day, while Saturday and Sunday will boast standard air shows. Parking for the event will be at Aaron Bessant Park, which is located west of Pier Park.
Anderson noted there will be an increased police presence on the Beach to control the surge of visitors. He also advised motorcyclists to be especially careful when traveling throughout the city.
More on Thunder Beach: Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally in PCB cancels national headliners for spring rally
It should be noted that in addition to a spike in traffic, there also is ongoing road work in the area associated with a Florida Department of Transportation project to expand a portion of Panama City Beach Parkway (Back Beach Road) from four to six lanes.
"Come down and have a great time, but just follow all the rules," Anderson said of those attending the events. "(For motorcyclists), don't pass on the right. Cars are not expecting you to be there. Don't travel up and down the shoulders of the road. You can't split traffic. ... All of those things can get a person hurt."
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: PCB gearing up for 'extremely heavy' traffic this weekend
