The City of Pensacola’s long-anticipated Palafox Street reconstruction project will begin Jan. 5. At Mayor D.C. Reeves’ press conference this morning, Adrianne Walker, the city’s Strategic Initiatives Project Officer, outlined the project timeline and revealed details about parking arrangements that will remain in flux as officials monitor the situation during construction.
Jan. 2: All outdoor furniture, including tables, chairs, and movable planters, must be removed from the street right-of-way to maintain required six-foot pedestrian pathways during construction. The city is sending certified letters and hand-delivering notices to affected business owners today.
Jan. 4: Warning signage will be posted along Palafox Street alerting motorists to the upcoming closure. Vehicles must be removed from Palafox Street by 8:00 p.m. or face towing at owner’s expense.
Jan. 5, 6:00 a.m.: Construction begins. Crews will mobilize, and construction fencing featuring wayfinding information, project details, historic photographs, and renderings will be installed.
Parking Plan Still Undecided
While the city will provide 412 free parking spaces during construction, officials are still debating whether to impose time limits.
Walker acknowledged receiving conflicting feedback: 24-hour free parking could lead to spaces being occupied for extended periods without turnover, while time limits of two to four hours would require enforcement through ticketing—something the city wants to avoid during construction.
- Mayor Reeves indicated the city will likely start with 24-hour free parking by default, honoring his commitment to business owners to implement their preferred approach. However, he acknowledged potential problems with that model.
“My hunch would be we’re going to start it as 24-hour, but if it becomes a serial problem, then maybe we adjust a certain number of spaces,” Reeves said.
Marketing and Information
The city launched a new website, www.thenewpalafox.com, yesterday that will serve as the central hub for construction information. The site features:
- Regular construction timeline updates
- Current closure information
- Directory of all downtown restaurants and retail businesses with direct website links
- Connection to Downtown Improvement Board for events and promotions
Marketing efforts include rack cards being distributed to hotels, chambers of commerce, and Visit Pensacola, plus advertising at the airport to ensure visitors know downtown remains open for business.
Walker emphasized that sidewalks and storefronts will remain accessible throughout construction—only Palafox Street itself will be closed to vehicular traffic.