Road and Parking Lot Closures, School Impacts For Thursday's Trump Visit

UPDATE (from Suffolk Police): The Suffolk County Police Department is advising the public of several road closures scheduled for April 14 in response to the Donald Trump event in Patchogue.

Railroad Avenue will be closed between Main Street and South Street as of 5 a.m. Beginning at 9 a.m., Railroad Avenue will be closed between Main Street and Sephton Street. South Street, Church Street, Sephton Street and Gerard Street will be closed as of 2 p.m.

The municipal parking lot on the west side of South Ocean Avenue in the rear of the Emporium as well as the Long Island Railroad parking lot on Sephton Street will be closed as of 9 a.m.

Any vehicles remaining on streets or in parking lots after the closures will be towed. Towed vehicles will be taken to the Village of Patchogue Department of Public Works Garage, located at 216 Waverly Ave. in Patchogue.

Motorists are advised that all parking rules and restrictions will be in effect. Motorists must park legally or will risk being ticketed or towed.

Original story:

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will be at The Emporium to headline a Suffolk GOP fundraising reception on Thursday. He is expected to be there from 5-6 p.m.

The Patchogue-Medford School District posted the following message on its website rewarding Trump's visit:

On the evening of Thursday, April 14, 2016, Presidential Candidate Donald J. Trump will be appearing at an event at the Emporium on Railroad Avenue in Patchogue. This event is being coordinated by the United State Secret Service and the Suffolk County Police Department. We have been working diligently with the police department to assure that our students are not impacted by this event.

As a result, the following will occur and may be subject to change by the authorities:

• Railroad Avenue, Church Street, Gerard Street, South Street, Sephton Street and Funaro Court will be closed to all vehicles. Find more info on road closures here.
• We have been assured by the authorities that students walking home from South Ocean Middle School will be able to get to their homes. There will be plenty of police and public safety officers present to facilitate their passage.
• The authorities are working to assure that all school buses which have drop-offs in the areas which are closed will be able to drop students at their normal stops. If there is a problem, district personnel will be present to facilitate a resolution. Parents should be aware that there may be delays of up to 20 minutes for children to arrive home.
• All afternoon and evening activities at South Ocean Middle School, Medford Elementary School and River Elementary Schools will be cancelled. Childcare will remain open at Medford and River. Parents should be prepared for delays.
• Afterschool activities and athletics at all other schools will proceed as planned.
• The Village of Patchogue has asked us to inform you that all vehicles should be removed from Church Street, Railroad Avenue, and the Church Street Parking Lot by 5:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
• All South Ocean shuttles and late buses will be cancelled.

Again, this event is under the control of authorities other than the school district and may be subject to changes as necessary. We will do my best to keep you informed as conditions change.

Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.