Presidential Visit to Disrupt Tampa Traffic

Motorists with plans to drive south of Kennedy Boulevard over the next two days might want to prepare for traffic snarls.

President Barack Obama is expected to land in Tampa late Tuesday afternoon following a trip to Atlanta’s Centers for Disease Control to discuss the American response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. While in Tampa, Obama intends to meet with officials at MacDill Air Force Base’s Central Command to discuss the counterterrorism campaign against ISIS, according to The Tampa Tribune.

While plans for the Presidential visit are still being laid out, the City of Tampa is warning drivers to expect delays in the South Tampa area though Wednesday. That includes roads, businesses and parking garages, according to a media release from the city.

Message boards will be placed throughout the affected area to let motorists know about specific street closures and other commuting impacts, the city said.

“However, the City of Tampa asks drivers to be flexible, allow for extra travel time, and travel through the area with caution,” the release stated.

City officials are also urging those who work in the downtown area to leave work early Tuesday, if possible, and arrive earlier or later than normal on Wednesday.

The city’s parking garages, both public and private, will remain open for business, but some garages may have additional security in place, the city says. Also, tenants of the Bank of America garage, 101 E. Kennedy Blvd., must enter off Ashley Drive on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Drivers can avoid security screenings and delays by using the three garages north of Kennedy Boulevard:

• Poe Garage, 802 N. Ashley Drive, $1.20 an hour
• Twiggs Street Garage, 901 E. Twiggs St., $1.20 an hour
• Royal Regional Lot, 1240 N. Tampa St., $2 flat fee for the day

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