Although the un-official start to summer is still seven weeks away, officers are urging the community to have a plan for Memorial Day weekend.

Tonight the Myrtle Beach Police Department will host its first Memorial Day weekend planning meeting for businesses. MBPD previously held a similar meeting for the community.

Businesses will learn how many officers will be working and what the most effective traffic routes are. Captain Joey Crosby tells News13, giving local business this information is important so it can get to those who travel to Myrtle Beach for the weekend.

“Our goal is to share this with the business community and for them to share that with their guests coming into town,” Crosby said.

Following last year’s holiday, MBPD reviewed an after-action report to learn what traffic and patrol tactics were most effective. Captain Crosby says the information line was well received and will be used again this year. The line will open one week prior to events and is open 24 hours for people to call and speak to someone about the best way to get to and from their destination.

MBPD will also deploy another method of traffic control used last year.

“We learned that the message boards that we put along Kings Highway to advise the motorists of the routes that would get them to Ocean Boulevard was very well received,” Crosby said.

There will be another planning meeting for the community on April 11 and the following Thursday MBPD will host its final planning meeting for businesses.