In the late hours of Tuesday, January 27, beginning at approximately 11:00pm, the City of St. Augustine will implement a Modification of Transportation (MOT), requiring the Bridge of Lions to be closed overnight to through traffic, and to be reopened in the early hours of Wednesday, January 28, at approximately 5:00am.
The City’s contractor, LaRue House Movers & Sons, Inc., will remove and transport the iconic lions, Firm and Faithful, from the west side of the Bridge of Lions to a secure city facility where they will be protected and restored for the duration of the FDOT, National Park Service, and City of St. Augustine seawall improvement project, which is scheduled to begin on or around February 1.
Drivers and pedestrians passing by the lions in the coming week may witness activity around them as they are crated and prepared for safe removal and transport.
While the lions are securely stored, renowned local artists Joe Segal and Enzo Torcoletti will work to preserve and restore the lions to be returned to their respective locations at the conclusion of the project. Longtime residents may recall the lions were removed before during the restoration and reconstruction of the Bridge of Lions in 2005 and returned in 2011.
For media inquiries, contact Melissa Wissel, Communications Director, at 904.293.3307.