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City approves utility-relocation work ahead of San Martin Bridge replacement, drilling under Tampa Bay planned
Summary
Council approved companion items to fund a utility-relocation project that will replace sewer and water mains near the San Martin Bridge. Staff said construction will use horizontal directional drilling, start March 2026, and could require night and weekend tie-ins, traffic controls and tree trimming during work within the right-of-way.
City staff presented plans for a proactive utility-relocation project tied to the county’s long-awaited San Martin Bridge replacement and the council approved companion items F5A and F5B unanimously.
An unidentified city project presenter described the work as replacing the existing 24-inch sanitary sewer force main with a 30-inch line and upsizing a 12-inch potable water main to a 16-inch main. The pipes will be installed subaqueously using horizontal directional drilling, a trenchless method that will place the new utilities under the bay floor to reduce construction impacts to the bridge footprint.
Staff said staging will be on the north side of the bridge with drilling toward the mainland and that crews will pull pre-fused HDPE pipeline back into place. The presentation noted an aggressive schedule with construction planned to start in March 2026, and warned residents of typical construction effects: noise, dust, drilling-related activity, limited tree trimming within the right-of-way and temporary intersection closures at times of pipe pullback and system tie-ins.
To minimize traffic disruption the city will add variable message boards at key access points coordinated with FDOT and limit most heavy work to daytime hours while reserving night and weekend windows for critical tie-ins when demand on the system is lower.
Council member Brandy Gabbard introduced the project as a multiyear utility-strengthening measure meant to improve system capacity and resilience ahead of the county’s bridge replacement. Council approved both companion items without recorded opposition. Staff said they will return with typical permit and community-notification details and a final construction schedule ahead of mobilization.
