BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Brevard County and state law enforcement are preparing for large crowds to come out on May 27 to watch SpaceX launch NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley from Kennedy Space Center, marking the first human spaceflight from Florida’s coast in nine years.
Cape Canaveral and Titusville authorities released traffic advisories ahead of the SpaceX Crew Dragon launch and both cities are encouraging visitors and residents to download the Waze app.
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“We are encouraging motorists to download the WAZE app,” the Titusville Police Department said in a news release. “This valuable application is an intuitive tool that will help identify and map designed traffic routes and potential altercations in fluid traffic routes out of the city in real time.”
Titusville police are asking motorists to slow down around popular launch viewing areas along U.S. 1, State Road 406 and along the A. Max Brewer Bridge.
The agency released updated traffic routes for the day of the launch. Click here for maps of the new routes.
All vehicles on State Road 406 and on the A. Max Brewer Bridge and surrounding areas will go west on SR 406. All motorists north of Harrison Street will go northbound. All vehicles south of Harrison will travel southbound.
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In Cape Canaveral, traffic flow in and out of the city will be controlled by the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Eastbound traffic on State Road 528 won’t be able to turn around at George King Boulevard and will be directed south on State Road A1A and State Road 520 west. City officials said traffic lights will be modified to help with the flow of traffic on A1A.
Parking updates will be available on Waze county wide.
Parking is available in the city including at Cherie Down County park and along beach access areas but is limited and expected to fill up quickly. On-street parking in non-designated spaces is prohibited and violators could be towed or fined.
The city also wants visitors to beware it is sea turtle season. Beach visitors are asked to leave a clean beach and take their trash home.
If the launch does not go on May 27, the backup date is May 30 and drivers should expect similar traffic closures.