Signs Warn Boaters of Full Lynnhaven Ramp

Virginia Beach has installed digital signs along Shore Drive to tell drivers when the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp is full, a step city officials and nearby residents say is meant to keep trailers and backup traffic out of Ocean Park streets. The signs went up near the Lesner Bridge and alert boaters before they turn into the neighborhood, according to WTKR. The move follows months of complaints from residents about congestion, loud music, reckless driving and a gunfire incident tied to the area. The city had already added overnight security at the ramp after those complaints intensified last summer. ### Where are the new signs and what do they tell drivers? Shore Drive near the Lesner Bridge now has digital signs that notify drivers whether the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp is full before they enter the neighborhood, WTKR reported on June 3. The signs are intended to intercept trucks and trailers before they reach the narrow residential streets around the launch area. (wtkr.com) Virginia Beach City Councilman Joash Schulman told WTKR the goal is to stop drivers from circling through the neighborhood while waiting for a space. “If it’s closed, it’ll say closed,” Schulman said, adding that boaters should keep driving and return later or use another city ramp when parking is unavailable. (wtkr.com) ### Why had Lynnhaven neighbors been pushing for changes? July 2025 brought a fresh round of complaints from Ocean Park residents, who told WTKR they were dealing with late-night activity, traffic problems and dangerous driving near the facility. Howard Weinberg, a neighbor, described cars doing circles and burnouts while crowds watched. WTKR also reported that Virginia Beach police responded after a gun was fired in the area and later made an arrest connected to that incident on July 1, 2025. (wtkr.com) Karin Brashears, who lives near the entrance to the ramp, told WTKR this week that the problems were not limited to nighttime disturbances. On busy weekends, she said, drivers towing boats discover the lot is full and then have to back trailers through nearby residential streets. ### How busy is the Lynnhaven ramp? (wtkr.com) The Lynnhaven facility is one of the region’s busiest public launch sites, according to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission page for Lynnhaven Inlet Landing. The state page says the ramp has four boat ramps, a kayak and canoe launch, 88 boat-and-trailer spaces and 102 car spaces. The City of Virginia Beach says the site operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and charges a $15 daily boat launch fee or $200 for an annual pass. (wtkr.com) The city page lists four concrete launch lanes, temporary mooring areas, trailer parking, restrooms and beach-access parking. ### What had the city already changed before the signs went up? (mrc.virginia.gov) July 16, 2025 was the date city officials told residents that armed security guards would be stationed at the boat ramp after hours until 2 a.m., seven days a week through October, according to WTKR. Michael Kirschman of Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation said at the time that wireless boat-ramp signs along Shore Drive were also planned, along with a Flock camera. (parks.virginiabeach.gov) Brashears told WTKR the overnight guard has already made a difference. “It has been a significant improvement,” she said, while adding that parking and ramp-capacity problems remain during peak weekends. ### What are residents and boaters watching next? The first busy summer weekends will test whether the new warning system changes traffic patterns around East Stratford Road and the Ocean Park neighborhood. (wtkr.com) Brashears told WTKR that the signs had been in place only a couple of days and said “time will tell” whether they reduce backups and trailer turnarounds in residential streets. (wtkr.com) Through October, the city’s overnight security plan remains in place at the ramp, and the Lynnhaven facility continues operating daily with launch fees posted by Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation. Boaters can find facility details, fees and hours on the city’s Lynnhaven Boat Ramp page. (wtkr.com) (wtkr.com)