The City of St. Petersburg will hold a public meeting on April 29, aimed at discussing the planned relocation of the San Martin Blvd forcemain and watermain. This event will take place at the Willis S. Johns Recreation Center, located at 6635 Dr. Martin Luther King St. N., starting at 6:30 p.m. The city’s officials will address residents’ questions and solicit public input on the project.
The relocation involves installing a 30-inch sanitary forcemain and a 16-inch watermain under Riviera Bay. This will be done using horizontal directional drilling, a method chosen to reduce surface disruption. These new installations will replace existing smaller pipelines currently attached to the San Martin Boulevard bridge.
The construction is expected to commence in September 2025 and complete by March 2026. The initiative is linked to Pinellas County’s plan to replace the San Martin Bridge, aimed at improving clearance for boat traffic. Before the bridge construction begins, the city’s utilities, currently attached to the bridge, need to be relocated.
During the project’s execution, temporary traffic modifications will be in place around the San Martin Bridge. Traffic across the bridge will be reduced to one lane, with temporary signals managing vehicle flow in alternating directions.
Residents are encouraged to participate in the meeting to gain insights into the project’s timeline and potential community impacts. For further details, individuals can refer to the city’s website at www.stpete.org/SanMartinPipelines.
