Spring break and SpaceX launch bring crowds to SPI

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Spring break gets underway this week on South Padre Island but this year brings an added attraction. SpaceX plans to launch its Starship rocket on Thursday.

The launch is expected to happen Thursday, but the Federal Aviation Administration has to sign off first. The thousands of visitors who come to view the launches will have to pass through the transit city of Port Isabel.

“We will have a lot of traffic coming in and out that specific day," said Carlos Gonzalez, Administrative Sargent for the Port Isabel Police Department. "Obviously, spring break, it’ll be right in the middle of spring break and then the launch itself brings in a lot of traffic.”

Residents said the traffic and number of people can be chaotic.

Lyndi Cross, a resident of Isla Blanca Park said, “Police have to come out and direct traffic and you have to watch where you’re walking because there’s a lot of golf carts and bikes and cars and stuff. So yeah, it gets really, really hectic.”

Cross said whenever there's a launch traffic can back up from Isla Blanca Park to Laguna Vista and beyond.

She said during the last launch, she saw cars still waiting to get into the park as the rocket was lifting off.

Port Isabel police said the combination of both events means all officers will have to be on duty.

“We do double up manpower for each shift," Gonzalez said. "We do bring in some of the administration, along with myself, some of the detectives, investigators.”

Police said reckless and intoxicated driving increases during spring break, plus there will be more cars on the road because of SpaceX enthusiasts.

To help combat traffic jams, police plan to manually control lights going into and out of the city.

“We put all the lights on green to have the east and west traffic flow a little smoother, a little bit faster, and then we all at the same time, simultaneously, change the lights so we can let the north and southbound traffic go that has seemed to work in the past," said Gonzalez.

Some aren't waiting for launch day, and have already set up camp on the island. Holley Bolinger, from Oklahoma, is staying in a tent at Isla Blanc Park, just outside the main gates.

She said this was her ninth trip to the area, and she's already been able to see two previous launches. “It’s not cheap to be down here, I’ll say that much it is a little pricey, but it’s so worth it," Bolinger said.

Port Isabel police said they'll do everything they can to ease congestion, but warn that travel times will still be long.

Gonzalez said, “We have spring break, we have this launch going on, and we want to make sure everyone comes to their destination in a safe manner and that they leave back home in a safe manner as well, but more than anything, please have patience with us.”