Want to avoid Cruisin’ The Coast traffic trouble in South MS? Check out these tips
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Cruisin’ The Coast draws roughly 10,000 cars, prompting street closures and heavy delays.
- Officials urge alternate routes, early departures and MDOT or app updates for detours.
- Police stress pedestrian safety and ban burnouts, racing, flames, loud horns and lights.
Put 10,000 cars and thousands more spectators along the beach and on South Mississippi roads during Cruisin’ The Coast and there will be slow-downs and challenges on the busiest week of the year.
“It’s Cruisin’ week. You’re going to have some delays,” said D’Iberville Police Chief Marty Griffin.
“Normally we do a really good job of keeping the traffic moving,” he said, even Thursday through Saturday, when D’Iberville is one of 10 sites with Cruisin’ parties. D’Iberville also is host this year to Autocross in the north parking lot Monday through Wednesday at Scarlet Pearl Casino and the adjacent street will be closed for safety, he said.
Street closures happen at venues all across South Mississippi this week, from Waveland to Pascagoula. Downtown Biloxi streets will be closed Wednesday for the huge block party, letting pedestrians gawk at the vintage cars without having to worry about traffic. All the cars will remain there until 3 p.m., then parade out in several directions, making for a colorful finale to the event.
With all the events in Biloxi this week, Police Lt. Candace Young says, “We hope all participants and spectators have a great time, but please remember to be patient, be courteous and be cautious.”
Cruisin’ The Coast continues through Sunday, and is a favorite time of the year for those who love seeing these classic cars rolling and not just lined up in parking lots. Locals trying to get to work or the grocery store may be less enthusiastic with the inconvenience of heavy traffic.
There are ways both can get around easier this week:
Stay off Beach Boulevard if you’re not Cruisin’. It will be crowded every day — and especially Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening — when orange traffic cones may be used to block off the middle lanes at times so emergency personnel can get through.
Know the slow downs. The heaviest traffic is from the Biloxi Lighthouse to Edgewater Mall in Biloxi and around Cruise Central at Beach Boulevard and U.S. 49 in Gulfport.
Take a different route. Instead of driving through town, for instance, take I-110 north and get off at the exit for The Promenade or the restaurants and businesses along Sangini Boulevard in D’Iberville. Pass Road also gets very busy through Biloxi and Gulfport. Cruisers suggest in Facebook posts that it’s faster to drive I-10 from I-110 in Biloxi to Cowan Road in Gulfport and bypass the biggest congestion.
Check the Cruisin’ schedule. There’s always going to be a lot of traffic around the Cruisin’ venues. Check the schedule before heading out to determine where backups might occur.
Leave early. When there are so many amazing vehicles to see along the way, plan to leave early and enjoy driving among Cadillacs so long they take more than one space to park and those colorful ‘56 and ‘57 Bel Airs.
Check online updates. Mississippi Department of Transportation and other traffic apps can help drivers find a way around traffic jams. For real time traffic advisories, text BILOXI to 99411.
Pedestrian safety is a big consideration when spectators have to park blocks away and walk to the events. Both drivers and walkers need to be aware.
Avoid showing off. Muscle cars are powerful machines, but burning out should be done at the burnout event in Pass Christian and flame throwing at the event at Island View Casino.
“Keep in mind while traveling the roadways that burnouts, racing, discharging open flame exhaust, displaying after market colored lighting or high-powered mountain lighting on vehicles while they’re in motion, driving motorcycles between vehicles and unreasonably loud or harsh horns and whistles are all prohibited,” Lt. Young said.
This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 12:46 PM.
