Volusia County could take its first formal step Tuesday toward widening one of Daytona Beach’s most congested roads.

County commissioners are set to vote on selecting a design firm for a project to widen a 2-mile stretch of Williamson Boulevard — from Madeline Avenue to Town West Boulevard.

The road narrows from four lanes to two near I-95, and county traffic studies have determined that the corridor is operating over capacity.

More than 14,000 vehicles squeeze through that two-lane section every day, according to county traffic studies. As new apartments and businesses continue to go up across the area, residents who travel the road regularly say the congestion is only getting worse.

“I’m a Daytona Beach native, born and raised, and it’s getting too much,” said David, a Daytona Beach native. “Too many apartments, too many complexes coming in in one shot and not enough room.”

Another resident echoed the frustration: “There’s way too much traffic. There’s way too much building. There’s way too much flooding going on.”

The widening project would add road capacity along the 2-mile stretch and includes a new bridge over I-95 to carry southbound traffic. The existing bridge would continue to serve northbound drivers. The project is estimated to cost about $38 million.

Not everyone opposes growth — but some residents want to make sure the project doesn’t come at the expense of the natural environment.

“There’s a lot of people coming into town now. I guess you have to make up for it,” said Amber, a Daytona Beach resident. “As long as they aren’t taking down all these trees.”

Tuesday’s vote is only a step toward design — not construction. Commissioners will decide which firm will handle the project’s design work, meaning drivers should not expect construction to begin right away.