ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation has started a $19.9 million project to replace the seawall along State Road A1A from the Bridge of Lions to Charlotte Street in St. Augustine.
Construction began Monday and will be completed in phases, with a targeted finish date of fall 2027. Most of the work will take place on a barge, meaning the majority of construction equipment will be on the water rather than along the road.
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Why the seawall is being replaced
FDOT Public Information Officer Renata Di Gregorio said the current seawall has reached the end of its service life.
“The fact that we’re going to be able to bring these upgrades to St. Augustine is pretty exciting because we are expecting it to enhance pedestrian safety and mobility,” Di Gregorio said. “It will also further protect the roadway right there from King Tides.”
What to expect during construction
Pedestrian detours will be limited and phased throughout the project.
“The pedestrian detours that will be in place will only be bit by bit,” Di Gregorio said. “The whole seawall is not being worked on at the same time. And most of them are just going right around where the project limits are on the sidewalk.”
How residents and visitors are reacting
Reactions among those who frequent the seawall area are mixed. St. Augustine resident Steve Motzel walks his dogs along the seawall regularly and said the changes give him pause.
“As a local, I don’t really care for it too much. It’s very traditional, and they’re making a lot of changes,” Motzel said. “But it might be necessary.”
He added that he expects to work through the disruption. “It will certainly be an issue for us, but we’ll get through it.”
Brittney Pugh, who visits her in-laws in St. Augustine about once a year, said she supports the project.
“I think it’s a good idea to keep it if it helps the city not flood as much,” Pugh said. “It’s probably a good thing.”
Project resources
FDOT has published a simulation showing how the project will be completed and what the finished seawall will look like. Maps of planned pedestrian detours are also available as construction phases progress. You can find those resources here.