DOT delays King Street improvements

Drainage improvements on King Street, between US-1 and Malaga Street, originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday will be postponed until January, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

The $577,000 project will replace the old drainage system between the King Street Bridge over the San Sebastian River and Malaga Street with a new system that includes replacing pipes beneath King Street and constructing a new backflow prevention structure at the San Sebastian River.

The project is being postponed in part because community members expressed concern that traffic and pedestrian impacts could adversely affect retailers during the holiday season, and weather during hurricane season is more likely to prolong the duration of the project.

An ongoing sidewalk project on West Castillo Drive also may have caused conflicting traffic impacts.
Postponing a project that is about to begin construction is rarely done and would not have been possible without contractor MASCI of Port Orange agreeing to the new start date.

After the first of the year, traffic impacts will be necessary on King and Malaga streets and Sebastian Harbor Drive during construction and will begin within the first weeks of the project, now scheduled to begin January 10th.

The project will take approximately three months to complete barring any unforeseen conditions such as rainy weather or findings of historical significance.