DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Willy Alvarez has owned a beach chair rental business on Daytona Beach for 44 years.
Although he knows the International Speedway Boulevard Vehicular Ramp Improvement Project is necessary, he still expects to lose some business during the construction.
“We’ll take a little beating, but that’s OK,” Alvarez told News 6.
Starting Monday, the International Speedway Boulevard vehicular beach access ramp will be closed. Public access to showers and restrooms will also be closed, but portable toilets will be provided on the beach. While pedestrian access and nearby businesses will remain open, drivers to the beach must take an alternate route.
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The iconic “World’s Most Famous Beach” sign at the ramp will also be temporarily taken down for a period of 10 months, necessary in order to keep the sign securely stored during the improvements, according to a Volusia County news release. The sign will reinstalled slightly west of its original location with updated lighting that complies with the county’s sea turtle lighting regulations, the release states.
When it’s all done in spring 2025, there will be more parking, new restrooms, new bike racks and fresh landscaping, according to the county.
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