On Sunday, July 21 at 5 p.m., contractors working for the City began the much-anticipated resurfacing project on St. Johns Avenue from the railroad crossing to 4th Street. By the end of the week, they had mainly completed the project and reopened the road to traffic. Due to the hard work of the contractors, Public Works, City Hall staff, and the Police Department, this major project, which was mostly done at night, was completed with minimal disruption to residents and business owners.
Although a few finishing touches remain, this effort by everyone involved is a perfect example of how the City is continuing to improve and serve our residents.
In addition to resurfacing, the project also involved repairs to the aging infrastructure under the street, including the relining of manholes and sewer lines. The resurfacing and, in some places, the reconstruction of the main thoroughfare through the City is a joint effort between the City of Palatka, Putnam County, and the Florida Department of Transportation.
Much of the project’s $1,500,000 cost was funded by a grant from the State of Florida. Putnam County is responsible for the roadway project from South Palm Avenue to the railroad crossing, while the City of Palatka oversees construction east of the railroad tracks to 4th Street. County contractors have already completed work from South Palm to 19th Street and are still working on the road east from 19th Street to the railroad.
The County is also working on the far western end of St. Johns Avenue near the intersection of Zeagler Drive. The next phase of improvements to St. Johns Avenue will include repairing sidewalks, landscaping, and irrigation. This is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
At the beginning of the year, the Florida Power and Light Company replaced the street lights on the street with historically accurate, energy-efficient lights. The St. Johns Avenue project is part of an ongoing effort to replace and modernize aging infrastructure across the City, some of which still dates to the late 1800s.