ST. AUGUSTINE, FL — St. Augustine drivers are being given seven full months to develop strong feelings about Malaga Street after FDOT confirmed the King Street Bridge will close starting April 13 for a major rehabilitation project.

The bridge over the Sebastian River is one of the main ways drivers get from US-1 into downtown, which means this is not some random sleepy closure nobody notices. This is the kind of project that turns half a mile into a personality test. FDOT said the project was originally planned as a full demolition and replacement, but after community feedback, it was changed to a rehabilitation project instead, trimming the closure from about a year down to seven months.

That is technically good news, in the same way being told your road-based suffering will last seven months instead of twelve is “good news.”

FDOT says the bridge is structurally sound, but the $13 million project will improve the railing, roadway, and overall integrity of the bridge while maintaining the look of the area. Officials also said the goal is to finish before Nights of Lights, which is wise, because even government knows better than to challenge downtown St. Augustine traffic and Christmas tourism at the same time.

During the closure, drivers will be detoured from US-1 to Malaga Street to access King Street, and a temporary signal will be installed to help traffic move through the area. Which is nice, because nothing calms the soul quite like being introduced to a new traffic light under pressure.

The closure is expected to affect downtown businesses, Flagler College, and tourists trying to experience the nation’s oldest city without accidentally becoming part of a transportation experiment.

At publishing time, Malaga Street was reportedly stretching, hydrating, and preparing for the most attention it has received in years.