City capital projects staff told the Public Safety & Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee on Sept. 9 that the Fifth Street Pedestrian Bridge project and associated BayWalk segments have been delayed by unanticipated underground utilities, peer-review revisions to structural drawings and pending FDOT permitting.

CIP representatives said crews uncovered a 20-inch water main and valves that were not where plans showed; the water main required reinforcement and additional calculations, adding roughly four weeks to the utility work and contributing to a three- to four-month schedule delay. Staff said the water-main issue has been resolved and the contractor is awaiting final sign-off from the engineer of record so work can resume. A third-party peer review of revised structural drawings was underway; staff estimated one to two weeks remaining in peer review before submission to FDOT for a final permit.

Contractor representatives said they expect to begin installing structure in the ground in October if FDOT issues the permit, and currently project completion timing has shifted from the end of 2026 toward late 2026 or early 2027. Committee members pressed staff about accountability and said residents and commissioners have grown frustrated by repeated schedule slips. Staff said utility conflicts and needed drawing revisions — not a single oversight — have been the primary drivers of delay and noted the city is actively working with FDOT and third-party reviewers.

Takeaway: The bridge contractor and CIP expect to resume structural work after peer-review and FDOT permitting; the committee asked staff to return with updates and suggested keeping public scrutiny high because residents want completion.