FDOT hears community concerns about $45M seawall replacement project in St. Augustine

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation held a presentation meeting Thursday afternoon to hear from the St. Augustine community about plans to replace a seawall that was built in the 1960s and is nearing the end of its service life.

FDOT wants to replace the decades-old seawall along A1A because of extensive deterioration over the years. Updating the wall would also help with protecting an area that is prone to flooding from storms.

Residents voiced their concerns about the cost of the project and how the changes would affect downtown St. Augustine’s appearance.

“I like St. Augustine the way it is,” Stuart Gamesy said. Gamesy is a painter and shared a masterpiece he created of his view.

He is worried that this new project will alter his view of the picturesque neighborhood.

The replacement project would extend from Charlotte Street along A1A to the Bridge of Lions. Walking would be prohibited on the new wall and the pedestrian barrier would be 42 inches high.

Construction wouldn’t begin until 2026 and is estimated to cost about $45 million.

“I don’t believe what they’re going to do is going to solve the problem of flooding. You’re going to spend a lot of money and my main concern is it’s going to block the breeze of the bay front going through the city,” Stuart said.

Leslee Keys said she’s not opposed to the project but shared concerns with officials about the start date.

“We have a lot of celebratory things that begin this year and will continue for the next two years when the entire country at least will be recognizing the 250th anniversary of July 4, 1776. That’s the year they propose to start construction, and I really ask them to consider the timeline,” Keys said.

FDOT provided details on how the construction process would look.

First, crews would install steel sheet pipes and remove the existing sloped pavement that is near the Bridge of Lions. They would then fill the space between the existing seawall and those steel sheet pipes, leveling the sidewalk.

This process would happen in 150-foot increments. North of the Bridge of Lions, most of the construction would happen waterside, so people would still be able to enjoy walking along the water but there would no longer be elevated pavement.

Once the sidewalk is complete, crews would start building a 3.5-foot pedestrian barrier.

Take a look at the renderings that show the construction sequence for the project.