Ride WPB vans hit the end of the road May 31
The blue Ride WPB vans have a retirement date, the city is doubling private security hours in the Historic Northwest, and a five-foot coral reef built from 90,000 Lego bricks...
Ride WPB vans hit the end of the road May 31
rve more than 100,000 residents. The current shuttle mostly covers downtown; the replacement is being framed as a broader city transportation system.
Jessica Keller, the city's parking and mobility administrator, told WPTV the original service was never built to last. "Our primary objective is to manage the congestion, so as the city is redeveloped, we have to have the transportation infrastructure to support the growth," she said. City officials say the replacement will dispatch electric vehicles on demand rather than running fixed van loops.
For riders who depend on the service, the transition matters. Taylor Franklin, who moved to downtown West Palm Beach from Kentucky last year, told WPTV that Ride WPB became a lifeline after she injured her MCL last September: "It was so nice to be able to just call a ride from my phone, super quick and super cheap to get everywhere that I needed to go." If you use the vans regularly, check the transition timing before counting on the service in early June.
Flagler Drive closures wrap today as tidal valve work continues
If your commute touches the Intracoastal, today is the last scheduled day of the current round of full roadway closures along South Flagler Drive.
Cordova Road at South Flagler Drive has been closed May 13 through May 19 for tidal valve installations tied to the city's flood protection program. Monceaux Road at South Flagler closed through May 15, and earlier segments at South Lakeside Court, Edmore Road, and Ninth Street wrapped on May 12, May 13, and May 15.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Greg Weiss posted the closure list on his Facebook page and noted the project is operating under a grant deadline that requires an accelerated schedule. If you've been routing around Cordova for the past week, today's the day to check before you assume it's still shut.
CRA doubles security patrols, opens camera grants in Historic Northwest
ekly, covering foot, vehicle, and optional patrols. The expanded coverage includes Heart & Soul Park, Styx Promenade, Sunset Lounge, Mickens Park, North Sapodilla Avenue, and the commercial corridors along North Tamarind Avenue and North Rosemary Avenue.
The Historic Northwest Public Safety Enhancement Pilot Program also adds four mobile CCTV trailers for high-risk zones, body-worn cameras and GPS tracking for security personnel, and direct encrypted-radio communication with the West Palm Beach Police Department. Quarterly community meetings, clear signage, and a 24/7 tipline round out the program. "Ensuring the safety of our residents is my number one priority," Mayor Keith A. James said in announcing the expansion.
For business owners, the more practical news is the new Community Safety Closed-Circuit Television Grant Program for eligible commercial and non-residential properties in the Historic Northwest, Pleasant City, Northwood Village, and the Broadway Corridor. Dr. Marie Roberte Laurent, who owns Belzeb Wellness, told WPTV her clinic had been targeted twice in six months, one example of the security concerns behind the program.
Society of the Four Arts launches $250 million renovation
porting by Stet News. Because the project is scheduled to run 18 months, regular visitors should check the Four Arts schedule before driving over for lectures, concerts, or the gardens.
Cox Science Center opens 'Brick Planet' with 90,000-brick coral reef
Sean Kenney's "Brick Planet" exhibit opened at the Cox Science Center and Aquarium on May 17 and runs through Sept.
27, 2026, at 4801 Dreher Trail North. Thirty large Lego sculptures fill six themed galleries, with ecosystems ranging from polar regions to tropical forests.
The centerpiece is a coral reef sculpture more than five feet tall, built from nearly 90,000 Lego bricks. The center said it took more than 550 hours to complete. Another piece is a life-sized rhino that appears to vanish from certain angles, leaving only its horn visible. Hands-on build stations from the STEAM cart team are also part of the exhibit.
Admission is $26 for adults, $24 for teens ages 13 to 17 and seniors 60+, and $22 for children ages 3 to 12. Children under 3 and CSCA members enter free. Hours and tickets are at coxsciencecenter.org or by calling 561-832-1988.
Clematis by Night returns Thursday
Looking ahead to Thursday: Clematis by Night runs 6 to 9 p.m.
at the downtown waterfront, free, with the lawn-chair-and-blanket setup the series has used for more than three decades. The Celis Run Club also meets Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. for a 3-mile Flagler Run starting at Meyer Amphitheater, 104 Datura Street — free, all paces. Two easy outdoor anchors if the weather holds.
Restaurant pipeline keeps filling in
The restaurant pipeline into West Palm Beach is still wide open.
David Chang's Fuku is opening in West Palm Beach, per WhatNow's April 7 announcement, and Naked Farmer is also coming to the city. Chèvre is set to open at Alba West Palm Beach, and D.C.'s Urban Roast announced a West Palm Beach location in February. Garden Butcher is expanding to both West Palm Beach and Wellington.
On the more casual end, Smalls Sliders and The Daily Focaccia are both headed to West Palm Beach, PopUp Bagels officially opened in late January, and SunLife Organics announced its first West Palm Beach location. The list is a useful snapshot of how much restaurant activity is still queued up for the city.