Port Orange plans major overhaul of Causeway Park boat ramp; south side closure expected Aug. 1 for about 6–8 months

City officials told the council they will begin a major reconstruction of the south side of the Causeway Park boat ramp no sooner than Aug. 1, with work expected to take roughly six to eight months and require extended partial closures.

Melissa Leone, a Port Orange resident and boater, raised concerns during public comment after observing missing sections of floating dock and warned that reduced capacity during peak boating season could create conflict and safety issues. "There isn't really enough room for all of the boaters who are trying to access the ramp," Leone said.

City Manager Wayne (city manager) and city staff described the planned project as substantial. City staff said design and permitting are complete and the work will remove old concrete and repair washout problems to produce a longer-lived concrete ramp with a softened slope to ease launching. City Engineer Reed said the project will remove the existing concrete up to the asphalt and extend concrete farther to reduce future washout.

Officials said they initially planned to start in May but pushed the start date to Aug. 1 to keep the south ramps available through the busiest months and allow time to prepare the north ramps for increased use. "By pushing it back to August 1 keeps that open longer and allows us a little bit more time to get the North Side set up so that we can get better access," City Manager Wayne said.

To reduce disruption, staff are exploring a short dredging project to create a temporary channel that would make the north ramps usable at low tide for smaller boats, and they have sought temporary dock options; so far, vendors and the county have not provided suitable temporary floating docks. Reed said half‑ramp construction is not recommended because of constructability challenges, safety risks with staging contractors and traffic, and the risk of a cold joint that could become a failure point.

Officials said the city will open bids and expect to award the contract after bid opening; staff noted that once construction begins the south ramps will be closed for the working period and that pedestrian access to bathrooms and the fishing dock will be maintained where possible. "We are looking at an opportunity to piggyback a short dredging project that would dredge out a temporary channel," Wayne said, describing the city's aim to keep at least pedestrian access and parts of the facility usable.

Staff asked for patience and said they had notified neighboring municipalities about the planned shutdown because the closure will attract additional boaters to other nearby ramps. City staff said they will provide more detailed project and closure information to the boating community as contract award and scheduling are finalized.