The King Street Bridge is closed, sending drivers and pedestrians onto a months-long detour while the Florida Department of Transportation moves ahead with a $13.4 million rehabilitation of the San Sebastian River crossing. The bridge closed April 13 and is expected to remain closed for approximately seven months, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting. During the closure, traffic is being redirected to U.S. 1 and Malaga Street to access King Street. A temporary traffic signal has been installed at U.S. 1 and Malaga Street to help manage the added traffic through the detour.
The project has caused confusion for some residents because earlier public discussion and reporting described the work as a bridge replacement. FDOT has since shifted the project from replacement to rehabilitation, meaning the existing bridge is not being demolished and rebuilt at this time.
Instead, the current work is intended to extend the bridge’s useful life and improve its condition, safety and appearance. According to FDOT project information, the finished bridge will include two 11-foot travel lanes, one 11-foot turn lane, a 10-foot-6-inch sidewalk on the north side, a 6-foot-6-inch sidewalk on the south side, upgraded aesthetic lighting, new bridge railings and shared-use lane pavement markings.
FDOT lists J.B. Coxwell as the contractor for the project.
At a May 11 St. Augustine City Commission special meeting, the bridge project came up during a broader discussion of city capital projects and transportation work. A resident questioned whether FDOT was “just doing a facelift” rather than replacing the bridge and asked about the cost and long-term plan.
City officials said they had recently met with FDOT and were told the project remained on schedule. They also said the rehabilitation is expected to extend the bridge’s life by up to 10 years.
Officials also clarified that the King Street Bridge work is an FDOT-funded project, not a City of St. Augustine capital project. While the work is still publicly funded, the cost is being carried through state transportation funding rather than local city dollars.
The closure affects one of St. Augustine’s most important downtown gateways. King Street connects U.S. 1 and West Augustine with Flagler College, downtown businesses, government offices, tourist destinations and the historic district. Local businesses and commuters have already reported delays and disruption from the detour, particularly along Malaga Street and surrounding downtown streets.
The bridge rehabilitation is separate from the larger King Street Complete Street project, though the two efforts are connected by location and long-term planning.
The bridge work is the FDOT project happening now. The King Street Complete Street project is the broader corridor redesign still moving through planning and design. That project is intended to remake King Street into what city leaders have called “the best mile in Florida,” with improvements aimed at safety, walkability, traffic flow, landscaping and the overall streetscape between Malaga Street and the Bridge of Lions.
City staff recently said the Complete Street project remains in design, with 60 percent design being finalized and final design expected in summer 2027. Construction on that broader corridor project is expected later.
For now, the most immediate impact for residents is the bridge closure and detour. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should follow posted detour signs, expect delays near U.S. 1 and Malaga Street, and allow extra time when traveling between downtown St. Augustine and areas west of the San Sebastian River.
The open question is what happens after this rehabilitation buys additional time. FDOT’s current project is designed to improve and preserve the existing bridge, but it does not settle whether a full replacement will be needed in the future.
