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City presents Nights of Lights after-action: expanded shuttles, more restrooms, $379,000 net cost to city

City Commission of St. Augustine · February 9, 2026
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Summary

City Manager David Burton and Assistant City Manager Meredith Bridal reviewed the 2025 Nights of Lights season, reporting expanded shuttle service and restroom/cleaning contracts that improved safety and cleanliness but produced a net city expense of roughly $379,000 after TDC and sales-tax offsets.

City Manager David Burton told the commission the city addressed 2024 crowding and safety problems with several 2025 operational changes, including expanding shuttle service and increasing garage rates during shuttle hours to disincentivize driving into downtown.

"We expanded the shuttle service. We expanded it to 33 days," Burton said, adding the city raised the downtown garage rate to $40 during shuttle operating times and actively managed the US 1–Castillo intersection to reduce gridlock. Burton said total garage entries fell slightly from about 135,000 in 2024 to 129,000 in 2025 even as the garage filled more consistently.

Meredith Bridal, assistant city manager, reviewed the budget and actuals and said the season's actual expenditures were about $1.2 million, with net city expense—after TDC funding and a modest sales‑tax uptick—of roughly $379,000. "Our actual expenditures were $1,200,000…

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