St. Petersburg Launches Plan To Strengthen 15 Miles of City Seawalls

St. Petersburg officials rolled out the Seawall Master Plan to check and shore up close to 15 miles of city-owned seawalls that line the waterfront. The project will tackle flooding, erosion, and rising seas that threaten this coastal town.

The plan calls for inspecting every municipal seawall. Engineers will pinpoint weak spots and then map out repairs and upgrades. Extensions are also on the table. Some stretches might climb as high as six feet. This isn't just about quick fixes — officials want a roadmap that lasts, complete with funding strategies that stretch years ahead.

"This is planning for resiliency and addressing vulnerability," said Brejesh Prayman, according to WTSP.

Prayman runs engineering and capital improvements for St. Petersburg. He brought up Hurricane Helene as proof that action can't wait. Storm surge shoved bay water into streets, yards, and houses.

"There were collapses," Prayman said, thinking back to barriers that buckled and broke. Storm surge drowned the Vinoy Resort's parking garage back in 2019, trapping dozens of cars.

"We're always thinking about hurricanes — always," Prayman said. "We're trying to be proactive for our residents."

St. Petersburg owns about 80,000 linear feet of seawalls. Private owners control another 500,000 linear feet across town. Pinellas County has around 588 miles of coastline, and protective barriers harden almost half of it.

Federal grant money from 2020 will pay for the work, plus Penny for Pinellas funds. That 1% sales tax pays for infrastructure, public safety, and projects countywide.

Officials will fold projects into the annual capital improvement budget. The plan will also help St. Petersburg chase outside money and work with other programs.

Public input will steer the final version. Residents and property owners can weigh in through virtual meetings and an online survey.

"The residents will have that opportunity to understand where their sea walls are, where the private seawalls are, and where the risk is," Prayman said.

The first virtual public meeting happens tonight at 6 p.m. A second session is set for Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. St. Petersburg wants the plan wrapped up by May.