04/18/2024
OC News
ORANGE CRUSH HIGHWAY 80 TRAFFIC PLANS
The Chatham County Police Department will have a substantial number of additional officers on duty, and will heavily patrol US Highway 80 and surrounding neighborhoods during this weekend’s Orange Crush event.
The Department’s plans are in response to what is traditionally a weekend where extremely high traffic volume causes significant congestion both on Highway 80 and in several neighborhoods.
“Our goal this weekend is to make sure everyone traveling on Highway 80 gets to their destination safely, and with as few delays as possible given the thousands of additional cars expected to be on the roadway,” said Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley.
The Chatham County Police Department will utilize the same staffing model used during hurricanes to make sure the maximum number of police officers are on duty throughout the weekend. This will allow officers to saturate Highway 80 and surrounding areas, while still having enough sworn personnel to respond to calls that come in from other parts of the county.
Officers will be stationed strategically along Highway 80 in an effort to assist with traffic flow, and to be able to arrive quickly in the event of an accident or another emergency response.
Officers will also heavily patrol neighborhoods on Whitemarsh, Wilmington, and Talahi Islands. These patrols will be focused on traffic flow, while ensuring that state laws and local ordinances are followed. There is no plan to block off access to any neighborhoods or residential streets.
The Chatham County Police Department’s specialized units -- and their equipment -- will also be prepared to respond to emergencies, if necessary. This includes the Department’s Marine Patrol, Aviation and K9 Units, as well as Forensic Drone Operators.
These enhanced operations are scheduled run from Friday, April 19, 2024 through Sunday, April 21, 2024.
