The closure of one of the county’s busiest beach ramps has led to the closure of two businesses and sparked outrage among beachgoers.
Here’s more on what we know about the $2.9 million project.
What does this project involve?
The project aims to revamp the approach to the beach and make some additions.
Parking, new public restrooms, new landscaping, bike racks, underground utilities, sidewalks and lighting will be added. The “World’s Most Famous Beach” sign above the ramp will be stored during construction, but don’t worry, it will be returned.
How is business going for your site?
The project has made the area extremely difficult to navigate and reduced foot traffic, leading Sam Tadros, owner of Sam’s Coal Fired Pizza, to temporarily close his business.
“It’s a really bad situation,” Tadros said Friday morning as construction crews hard at work.
Tadros said before signing the lease, he was told by Volusia County Coastal District Director Jessica Fentress that half of the road would remain open during construction, but Public Works Director Ben Bartlett said that wasn’t the county’s intention due to safety considerations.
“Unfortunately, this project needs to go ahead and will cause disruption and we are working hard to minimise this disruption,” Mr Bartlett said.
Daytona Shirt Shop owner Zoltan Kerekes has also closed his store.
Tadros said he plans to reopen in February and also open a Nathan’s Famous hot dog restaurant on the same street.
When will the project be finished?
The project is scheduled to be completed by April 2025, but the county may open the ramp to vehicle traffic before then, Bartlett said.
“It all depends on the weather and things like that,” he said.
Will pedestrians have access to beaches and storefronts?
People can reach the storefront from the sidewalk on the north side of the road.
Bartlett said pedestrian access to the beach is closed while crews work to install sheet piles for the breakwater. Once that portion is complete, the county will allow pedestrian access again. He said it’s not safe to allow pedestrian access at this time.
Bartlett said the county is working with business owners and will allow them to put up signs at their locations directing people to their businesses.
What does this site look like?
Much of the road was blocked off with fencing on Friday, but people were able to access the parking lot of the Boardwalk Inn & Suites on the south corner.
Why is Volusia County undertaking this project now?
Bartlett said the county coordinated the project with Florida Department of Transportation work on A1A West off International Speedway Boulevard.
That way, overall disruption in high-profile areas will be minimized and the county won’t have to remove new infrastructure that was installed.
How popular are beach lamps?
Volusia County tracks the number of vehicles using the International Speedway Boulevard ramp each year.
The county tracked 18,709 vehicle visits in 2023. In 2022, the number was 18,199, 2021 was a strong year with 26,619 and 2020 was 14,021, according to county spokesman Clayton Jackson.
