During the public outreach meeting on Tuesday, August 12, which took place in The Alcazar Room of City Hall, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials announced plans to start the King Street bridge detour after the upcoming Night of Lights season, which is scheduled to end on Sunday, January 11, 2026.
The current proposed plan is to begin the detour in January 2026 and expedite the demolition and construction process to hopefully open the new bridge within 12 months, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting. In order for the detour to take place, a light signal must be installed at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Blvd. (US 1) and Malaga Street. The exact start date of the detour will be announced by FDOT at a later date.
The King Street bridge will have the following new features and improvements once it is complete: two 11-foot-wide travel lanes, one 11-foot-wide turn lane, a 10-foot-6-inch-wide sidewalk on the north side, and a 6-foot-6-inch-wide sidewalk on the south side. Additionally, the project will include upgraded aesthetic lighting, bridge railings and shared-use lane pavement markings, signaling to motorists that cyclists can share the roadway.
To learn more and see renderings of the bridge replacement project, visit the project website here: Project Details (https://nflroads.com/ProjectDetails?p=5461)
Stay informed about lane closures and roadwork in your area by following FDOT District 2 at @MyFDOT_NEFL on X, at MyFDOTNEFL on Facebook or by visiting nflroads.com. Drivers seeking real-time traffic alerts may visit www.FL511.com or download the FL511 app.
For media inquiries, contact Jacob Pickering, Community Outreach Specialist, Florida Department of Transportation, at (904) 360-5471 or via email at Jacob.Pickering@dot.state.fl.us.
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Photos: Aerial View of the King Street Bridge, and Detour Route.