UPDATE 12:45p: Quick traffic read: to play it safe, you will want to prepare for major traffic congestion east of Powerline/Jog on Palmetto Park, Glades, and Yamato Roads, all the way east to the FAU Campus. Also, it is likely that the west bound routes will remain heavy or controlled by police until the President’s motorcade departs the area, most likely after 4pm.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — President Obama visits the Florida Atlantic University campus today for a major speech on the economy. The speech is scheduled for 2:55p.
For Central and East Boca Raton, this means the potential of major traffic tie-ups and detours.
FAU is issuing advisories which we are updating here. However, due to the operational secrecy of the Secret Service, the best bet is to assume that you will experience major traffic delays on Palmetto Park, Glades and Yamato Roads, east of Powerline/Jog off and on throughout the day. Additionally, the President is visiting FAU following an event in another part of the county. Air Force One will land at Palm Beach International Airport. As a result, expect issues on I-95 as well. Traffic tends to stop when a Presidential motorcade rolls through.
You can always watch LIVE TRAFFIC from traffic cams up and down I-95, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the motorcade. Click here.
NOTE: Choose “I-95” and jump to the last page for the traffic cam at I-95 and Palmetto Park Road.
From FAU:
President Barack Obama’s visit to the Boca Raton campus on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 10, to deliver a major economic address will necessitate a number of changes to the normal campus routine. As a reminder and to avoid inconvenience to students, faculty and staff, those accommodations are summarized below.
The White House has provided FAU with a significant number of tickets to allow students, faculty and staff to attend President Obama’s address. They are free and will be distributed through a special lottery. Details about how to enter this lottery will be sent to you in a separate email message and be posted on the MyFAU home page (https://myfau.fau.edu).
For those who cannot attend in person, President Obama’s address will be streamed live by the White House and accessible via the FAU homepage (www.fau.edu).
Here is an overview of changes that will be in effect on Tuesday:
· Traffic on I-95, Glades Road and campus roads will be extremely congested, so commuter students and employees should consider carpooling or arranging to be dropped off and picked up by friends or family members rather than driving their cars onto campus from noon until 5 p.m.
· Classes will be held as usual, with the exception of Lifelong Learning Society classes, which are cancelled on Tuesday. They will be rescheduled at a later date.
· Exercise Science classes will be moved from the FAU Arena. Students should contact appropriate faculty to learn where their classes will be held.
· All parking lots west of West University Drive (Lots 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15) will be closed beginning at 1 a.m. Tuesday. This includes the lots around the Arena, the track, the Field House and the Oxley Center, which will all be closed on Tuesday.
· Alternate parking will be available in Lot 5 and on the gravel lot north of the stadium. Parking on the grass will be permitted off St. Lucie Ave., across from Lot 25. Parking for students, faculty, staff and event attendees will be provided at these locations and on the paved area north of Palm Beach State College (accessible from Palm Beach Avenue and N.W. 35th St.). Campus shuttle routes will be adjusted to include these areas. The campus shuttle will not run to the athletics complex on Tuesday except to take attendees to the presidential event.
· West University Drive will be closed to all traffic from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Traffic entering campus from Glades Road during this timeframe will have to use East University Drive. Traffic on Volusia Street and Dade Avenue will be routed onto Indian River Street and directed toward East University Drive during the closure. Those exiting Lot 16 and Parking Garage I at this time will be directed to Dade Avenue.
· In view of the greatly increased traffic expected on the east side of campus in the afternoon, Henderson School and Slattery Center parents are advised to use the 20th Street or Spanish River Boulevard entrances when picking up their children.
