PALATKA, Fla. (Monday, July 24, 2023) - The contractor for the City of Palatka is scheduled to start work on repairs to the boardwalk that connects the north and south banks of the St. Johns River, under the Memorial Bridge in the City, on Monday, July 31.
The wooden boardwalk, which opened in 2005, has been closed because of safety concerns because of the deterioration to the portions of the walkway.
The boardwalk is part of the statewide Rails-to-trails system owned by the Florida Department of Transportation but maintained by the City under an operational agreement.
Florida's Rails-to-Trails program repurposes abandoned railways into recreational trails, providing opportunities for walking, biking, and other outdoor activities.
The trail that passes through Palatka is more than 50 miles long and connects Vermont Heights in St. Johns County to Lake Butler State Park in Union County.
The repairs will cost approximately $90,000 and will be paid for by a grant from the State of Florida.
The contractor, Greenway Bridge, LLC from St. Augustine, expects the project to take approximately five weeks to complete. During the repairs, several parking spaces in the lot on the south side of the bridge in River Front Park will be closed.
View a video of the Boardwalk here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fokp_hNmaY