Myrtle Beach starts trial run of sidewalk barricades on Ocean Boulevard

(Myrtle Beach City Government Facebook page)

Myrtle Beach, S.C. (WPDE) — On Thursday, Ocean Boulevard visitors were greeted by the sight of a new series of barricades along certain sidewalks.

According to a post on the Myrtle Beach City Government Facebook page, the city is in the process of installing barricades to keep pedestrians from getting into the street.

City officials say, in this weekend’s shooting incident on Ocean Boulevard, activity spilled into the street before the shooting began.

Officials have said that shooting was gang related and another shooting at Coastal Grand Mall was drug related.

Now, local leaders are looking at new ways to combat criminal activity.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, local leaders discussed a number of possible ways to reduce crime on ocean Boulevard.

The measures that were discussed included:
Increasing the police presence in crime-ridden areas
Implementing barricades
Adding LED streetlights to increase visibility
Changing the message to area visitors to discourage lawless behavior.

Santee Cooper has already agreed to install 200 brighter LED lights on second and third row streets near Ocean Boulevard, according to the Facebook post.

At next Tuesday’s city council meeting, officials plan to discuss an ordinance to extend the juvenile curfew from 1 a.m. to midnight for those who are 17 and under.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, who was visiting the Grand Strand on Thursday, said “would-be perps better think twice.” He also pledged to give the area whatever resources it needs to cut down on crime.

“We’ll do whatever it takes to be sure that, what we believe is an aberration in one of the finest family beaches in America, does not happen again. Whatever it takes, we are going to do it all,” McMaster said.