CONGESTION: Beautification begins for North Causeway in New Smyrna Beach; expect even more traffic delays

North Caueay drabridge in New Smyrna Beach will become a bigger traffic mess with a beautification project starting Monday / Headline Surfer® Headline Surfer® photos /
The larger South Causeway Bridge in New Smyrna Beach, shown below, may actually prove to be more be preferable to the North Causeway Bridge, where a beautification project is expected to make driving an even bigger chore for motorists coming to and from the beach, especially considering how quickly traffic becomes more snarled along two-lane Flagler Avenue, where motorists can literally be stuck for upwards of 10-15 minutes because of the drawbridge on the North Causeway. On weekends, especially, traffic on Stare Road 44 coming off the two causway bridges can back up for 10 milrs or more all the way to the Interstate 95 interchange and the Walmart Supercenter. Should plan proceed for another 1.5 mile of beach driving become restricted as expected along the World's Most Famous Beach® in Daytona for two approved luxuey hotels, thewn even more beachgoewrs will flock to New Smyrna Beach and the traffic will worsen. But that' not expected until next summer.
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South Causeway Bridge in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., vcarries jammed beach traffic / Headline Surfer / Headline Surfer®NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will a $1.2 million beautification of the North Causeway in this picturesque beach-front city of 22,000 residents.

Beautification begins today along the North Causeway, from Riverside Drive east to the George E. Musson Bridge. That's the draw bridge, in and of itself, a major bummer for motorists, especially when the beach is letting out for the day.

The city's beautification project will will add two landscaped center-lane medians, pedestrian street lights along the south side of a pedestrian bike path and decorative crosswalks at the Barracuda Boulevard intersection, said Michelle Updike, capital improvements project manager for the municipality.

It's called a beautification project because it's just that -- beautification -- or aesthetically-pleasing upgrades to the scenery. None of it is mandatory for safety.

The city's beautification project will will add two landscaped center-lane medians, pedestrian street lights along the south side of a pedestrian bike path and decorative crosswalks at the Barracuda Boulevard intersection, said Michelle Updike, capital improvements project manager for the municipality. It's called a beautification project because it's just that -- beautification -- or aesthetically-pleasing upgrades to the scenery. None of it is mandatory for safety. 

Intermittent single-lane access is expected almost immediately with the installation of two, center-lane landscaped medians. No detours are expected, Updike said.

Roadway construction is expected to be completed by year' end. Then road-side landscaping will begin in January and continue ell into the new year with completion some time next Spring.

The $1.2 million project is funded through a $500,000 Landscape Grant from the Florida Department of Transportation and by the City of New Smyrna Beach and Volusia County through the New Smyrena Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.