Nueces County order banning vehicles on Corpus Christi, Port A beaches expires, curfew remains

Curfew in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

People gather on the beach for the Memorial Day weekend in Port Aransas, Texas, Saturday, May 23, 2020. Beachgoers are being urged to practice social distancing to guard against COVID-19. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

SAN ANTONIO – Beaches in Nueces County have reopened to vehicles as an order put in place to help stunt the spread of COVID-19 has expired.

Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales said Friday that the order, which closed vehicle access points at beaches within the county, will end on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Recommended Videos



Under the temporary ban, golf carts and all-terrain vehicles were also not allowed.

COVID-19 cases top 44,000 in San Antonio, Bexar County

The curfew that was put in place, however, will remain from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., according to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

The newspaper reported that the modified order will restrict access to areas of beaches damaged by Hurricane Hanna. According to KIII News, a 7-mile beach cleanup is underway.

The order was put in place in July as the county asked tourists to stay home for the sake of social distancing. It was extended on July 31.

Port Aransas mayor: City no longer enforcing beach closure order

During the COVID-19 briefing on Friday, Canales said she believed the “beach order helped flatten the curve and I believe it helped to save lives.”

Last week, Port Aransas Mayor Charles Bujan said the city could no longer afford to implement the closure. He said enforcing the order “depleted all of our overtime budgets” in providing 24-hour policing.


About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.