Federal judge denies injunction; traffic patterns will be in place

US District Court Judge Mary G. Lewis issued an order Wednesday denying the NAACP’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt the City of Myrtle Beach’s traffic patterns for the Memorial Day weekend.  This includes one-way traffic on Ocean Boulevard and the extended traffic pattern (the “loop”) from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday, both of which will be in effect. 

“Having carefully considered the motion, the response and amended response, the replies, the record, and the relevant law, the Court is of the opinion the motion should be denied,” Judge Lewis wrote. 

“A preliminary injunction should issue only when the plaintiffs can ‘[1] establish that [they are] likely to succeed on the merits, [2] that [they are] likely to suffer irreparable harm in the absence of preliminary relief, [3] that the balance of equities tips in [their] favor, and [4] that an injunction is in the public interest.’”  Winter, 555 U.S. at 20.

“Plaintiffs have failed to clearly establish their claim of a historical background of discrimination here,” Judge Lewis said.  “The decision to enact the traffic loop was made by a host of decisionmakers.  Defendants were two of many. And, the Court must defer to Defendants’ value judgments on matters of public safety.”

To read the entire court order, see US District Court Order Denying Preliminary Injunction (May 22, 2019).