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Here's how to see if the beach is packed before you get there

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office launched a new online tool to help promote social distancing.

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — We could all use a little fresh air, and there’s nothing better than soaking in a little sun on one of Tampa Bay’s beautiful beaches.

After all, they're among the best in the world.

But, in the era of social distancing, it can be a bit challenging to avoid the crowds that tend to gather along the shoreline.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office wants to help. The agency has launched a new online tool that makes it easy to find out which beaches are packed with people and which ones are perfect for some safe relaxation.

There will also be information on parking lot capacity and bridge traffic.

It’s as simple as checking a website – pcsoweb.com/beachcapacity.

The dashboard will go live at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

"This will tell you what beach is open, near capacity, full or closed. It will be indicated by red, yellow or green designation so you can see if before you leave home. We’ll also give you suggestions and alternatives if the beach you want to go to is packed,” Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said Thursday.

“If the beaches are at a point where people can’t comply with social distancing, we’ll close off access points so we don’t have the beaches so full that people can’t comply with the law."

More information about Pinellas County beaches:

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