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BRANDON D. OLIVER/Palatka Daily News. The boardwalk under Memorial Bridge in Palatka is closed Friday as repairs are set to begin Monday.
The north and south walkways below Memorial Bridge are finally getting some welcomed upgrades.
Repairs on the wooden docks below the Palatka bridge will begin Monday, Peter Willott, the city’s public information officer, confirmed Friday. The repairs are expected to take five weeks, he said, barring any weather or other setbacks.
Both sides of the walkway are getting fixed to “make it safe and sound,” he said.
The walkway was built in 2005 but closed last year after people complained about tripping on the boardwalk.
In November, Palatka resident Leanne Hepler alleged negligence in a lawsuit she filed against the city for $30,000, Putnam County court records show. The complaint states Hepler had been walking on the boardwalk in May 2021 “when she was caused to trip and fall to the ground over a rotten and/or uneven piece of wood on the boardwalk.”
A judge dismissed and closed the case in April, court records show.
The city maintains the boardwalk, although the structure is part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Rails-to-Trails system, according to a press release from the city.
“Ecotourism is a big thing,” Willott said.
The Rails-to-Trails program consists of a network of hiking trails throughout the state, according to the city, and this gives people places to bike, walk and use for other outdoor activities. The connecting trail expands past Palatka and is about 50 miles long, Willott said.
“It also has a lot of benefit to the citizens of Palatka,” he added.
Repairs will cost about $90,000 and will be paid for using a state grant, according to city documents.
While a St. Augustine contractor conducts repairs, Willott said, some parking spaces by the walkway will be closed to the public.
