VIRGINIA BEACH — A visit by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance to the city’s Oceanfront on Thursday evening left many area residents stuck in traffic for more than an hour as roads were closed for his motorcade.
Between about 6 and 8 p.m., much of I-264 was intermittently shut down as the procession of vehicles drove to and from the resort area, according to Virginia Beach police spokesman Jude Brenya.
Roads passing under and over the interstate — as well as those that intersected or led to it — also were closed, Brenya said. They opened after the motorcade passed, and while the event was going on, he said, but closed again when it was over and the motorcade again needed to pass through.
The closures were directed by the U.S. Secret Service and were conducted by Virginia Beach and state police, Brenya said. The resulting backups — which began around 5 p.m. — left many motorists frustrated and angry that they hadn’t been warned.
“While the City was aware of this event in advance, due to heightened national security measures under the direction of the U.S. Secret Service, we could not announce the specific traffic impacts ahead of time,” Brenya said in an email.
“We understand the desire for advance notice during these events, but for security reasons, it is often not feasible to provide a public warning in advance when high-profile guests are involved. Our goal is always to balance security with minimizing disruption for residents and visitors.”
Vance was in town for a private fundraiser held in the ballroom at the Cavalier Hotel on Atlantic Avenue. About 100 people attended, according to Bruce Thompson, an owner of the hotel who also was in attendance.
Also there were Vance’s wife, Usha, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans and former U.S. Rep. Scott Taylor.
Staff writer Stacy Parker contributed to this report
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
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