..and don't I know it. Warnings are ALREADY posted to "Expect Delays". You think?
This community, my community, is across the Indian River from the Kennedy Space Center and Ground Zero for an estimated one-hundred thousand (100,000) Visitors advancing on us for that launch. Thousands (1,000's) will illegally park on marked "Private Property". There will be no way to have them towed.
As the sunrise launch window approaches, they will PARK their cars, PU's, Van's, and Motor Homes on the Causeways AND in the traffic lanes of the ONLY FOUR (4) Bridges from the Mainland to Merritt Island, AND the Causeways and traffic lanes of the ONLY THREE (3) bridges from the Coast to Merritt Island, GET OUT of their cars, and stake "their claim" at the railings of the highest seats in the County for viewing the launch (it happens EVERY time). No one will be able to move, not even Emergency vehicles.
They will defecate EVERYWHERE as there will be insufficient facilities across the hundreds of linear miles of wall-to-wall parked cars on Causeways and roadsides. They will come and LEAVE in their wake their crap, their trash and their MONUMENTAL mess for this community to clean up.
There will be a HUGE traffic snarl in HOURS leading up to the launch AND an even GREATER snarl in the HOURS after launch as EVERYONE attempts to be "first-in-line" to get to a launch viewing site and then "first-in-line" to go home across the clogged and choked thoroughfares and bridges from viewing sites. There will be fender benders and those souls will wait additional HOURS for emergency services, services far too overloaded to immediately respond.
It has been twelve (12) YEARS since NASA sent its last Shuttle to orbit (July 8, 2011). For the last three (3) years (since early 2019), this middle-of-the-County has continued to DECREASE in population and services from Space-based Industry layoffs and, like the remainder of the Nation, shutdowns and loss of businesses from Covid-19. Small business here WILL NOT BE READY for the masses of people that will DEMAND service before and especially after the launch. There are already NO VACANCIES in EVERY hotel and motel within 35 miles.
Hold on to your hats folks, we're in for a rough ride.