Posted on January 4, 2023
On Monday, a stretch of Daytona Beach, south of International Speedway Boulevard, was jam-packed with vehicles and beachgoers for the first time in a while.
The area was torn up by two hurricanes this past season.
There are 33 vehicle access ramps along Volusia County’s 41 miles of coast, and in this new year, more than a dozen have now re-opened.
Conservation poles are key to beach driving.
By law, they have to be in place to protect nesting sea turtles before driving is allowed.
The tropical storm swells took out hundreds of them, and even now, winter Noreasters continue to knock them down.
Meanwhile, beach walkovers are still a challenge for the county’s coastal division.
The majority of the 144 pedestrian approaches to the beach had some kind of damage from the storms.
Just minor work was needed on some that are usable, but most have major issues and there’s no timeline for the repair work.
However, the demand for beach access is big, so officials are doing all they can to accommodate.
