ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Bridge of Lions will close overnight to through traffic as crews prepare to begin the seawall improvement project in St. Augustine, according to city officials.
The city said the bridge will close at 11 p.m. Tuesday and reopen at approximately 5 a.m.
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Part of that project preparation involves the removal and relocation of the iconic lions that guard the bridge on the west side.
The city’s contractor, LaRue House Movers & Sons, Inc., will be in charge of removing and transporting the lion statues to a secure city facility where they will be protected and restored for the duration of the FDOT, National Park Service, and City of St. Augustine seawall improvement project.
The city said while the lions will be securely stored, renowned local artists Joe Segal and Enzo Torcoletti will work to preserve and restore the lions to be returned to their respective locations at the end of the project.
According to the city, this is not the first time the lions have been removed from the bridge.
Officials said the lions were removed once before the restoration and reconstruction of the Bridge of Lions in 2005 and were returned to their place in 2011.
The seawall improvement project is set to begin on or around Feb. 1, officials said.