The Florida Highway Patrol says all Daytona Beach interstate ramps were opened around noon Sunday, and should remain open. FHP Deland District Commander Captain Robert S. Duncan noted that drivers were still encountering congestion on eastbound I-4 at the 120 mile marker. The drive from the 120 mile marker on I-4 to Daytona Beach was taking 48 minutes late Sunday morning.
The FHP urged race-goers on eastbound I-4 to take Exit 118 (State Road 44), and go east to I-95. At I-95, drivers should take northbound I-95 either to Exit 260A/State Road 400 for Lot 10 parking, or go to Exit 265/LPGA Boulevard for Lot 7 parking. Drivers should avoid Exit 261, U.S. 92/International Speedway Boulevard.
Heavy congestion remained in the area of I-95, I-4 and U.S. 92 (International Speedway Boulevard) as drivers made their way to the Daytona 500. However, the FHP said north and southbound traffic on I-95 outside the International Speedway Boulevard exit in Daytona was “moving without congestion.”
Light rain started in the Daytona Beach area Sunday morning around 10 a.m., and officers with the Daytona Beach Police Department, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol and other assisting agencies donned rain gear to direct race traffic. The rain did not seem to deter race fans, as this Examiner found parking lots in the Speedway area mostly full around noon.
Here are the traffic patterns for the Daytona Beach area following Sunday’s Daytona 500, according to the Daytona Beach Police:
Bill France Boulevard: Bill France Boulevard may be ONE-WAY NORTH from West International Speedway Boulevard to the Mason Avenue intersection. Access on Bill France Boulevard from Mason Avenue to Clyde Morris Boulevard will be restricted.
Parking Lots: Vehicles exiting through the Grandstand parking lot (west of Gate 25), and the Dog Track, MUST TURN WEST.
Speedway Tunnel Entrance: Race fans leaving the track via the turn four (4) tunnel entrance will be routed east toward Richard Petty Boulevard. This traffic will continue east toward Clyde Morris Blvd and sent south to access I-4 and I-95 via Beville Road or Dunlawton Avenue.
Volusia Mall Parking: Volusia Mall traffic may exit north to Mason Avenue via Bill France Boulevard, which may be ONE-WAY NORTH to Mason Avenue, where traffic may proceed east or west on Mason Avenue. Mall traffic may also exit via the main entrance/exit at US 92. This exiting traffic will be sent east on US 92 and can proceed east to the beachside, or turn north or south at Clyde Morris Blvd, Nova Road or Ridgewood Avenue to access the Interstate system.
Jimmy Ann Drive: Jimmy Ann Drive will be normal two way traffic.
Dunn Avenue: Dunn Avenue will be restricted to local traffic only between Clyde Morris Boulevard and Williamson Blvd.
Clyde Morris Boulevard: South bound Clyde Morris Boulevard will be restricted at LPGA Boulevard. North bound Clyde Morris Boulevard will be restricted at Jimmy Ann Drive.
Airport Parking: Race fans using Airport property for parking should exit east, via Richard Petty Boulevard and then south on Clyde Morris Boulevard to Dunlawton for easy access to the interstates.
Richard Petty Boulevard: Petty Boulevard may be ONE-WAY EAST to the Clyde Morris intersection. Race fans exiting Petty Boulevard must turn right onto Clyde Morris Boulevard. Central and South Central Florida traffic will be encouraged to continue south on Clyde Morris Boulevard to Dunlawton Avenue. Traffic will turn right on Dunlawton Avenue to access I-95, north to I-4 or south to the Bee-Line.
Mason Avenue: Mason Avenue may be ONE-WAY WEST from the Bill France intersection to Williamson Boulevard.
Williamson Boulevard: Williamson Boulevard, north of Mason Avenue, may be ONE-WAY NORTH from the Mason Avenue intersection to L.P.G.A. Boulevard. Access to I-95,I-75, I-4, Ocala and US-1 (north) can be reached via Williamson Boulevard. Williamson Boulevard, south of Mason Avenue, will consist of nor-mal north and southbound traffic lanes to Bayless. Williamson, south of Bayless will be closed to southbound traffic. There will be no access to Williamson Boulevard southbound from west International Speedway Boulevard. Williamson Boulevard will be one-way southbound from Gate 40 to Beville Road.
Fentress Boulevard: Fentress Boulevard will be normal two-way traffic between Bayless and Mason Avenue. Access to Fentress Boulevard from Speedway Boulevard and Mason Avenue will be restricted to business traffic only.
Thames Road: All traffic exiting the Volusia Square Mall will be sent south on Thames to Williamson, where it will be directed south to access the Interstate System
L.P.G.A. Boulevard: Traffic eastbound on L.P.G.A. Boulevard from Speedway Boulevard will experience lengthy delays beyond Champions Drive.
US - 92: Westbound traffic on West International Speedway Boulevard desiring to go west should utilize Beville Road to avoid heavy traffic in the vicinity of the speedway.
I - 95: It may be necessary to restrict northbound traffic from exiting at L.P.G.A. and SR-40 from I-95. Motorists will be allowed to exit at the next exit, which is US-1 at National Gardens. Traffic wishing to go to Daytona Beach should utilize US-1 southbound. Traffic wishing to go to A1A should take US-1 to SR-40 in Ormond Beach, and go east over the Granada Bridge to A1A. Motorists wishing to travel west on SR-40 can exit at US-1 and re-enter I-95 and travel south to SR-40.
Click here to visit the Florida 511 Traffic web site.
Click here to visit the Daytona Beach Police web site.
You can contact Mike Royer at mroyer5@yahoo.com or at 407-473-2287 or 386-492-7438.
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