Downtown Pensacola’s Palafox Street Reopens After $10 Million Overhaul

May 23, 2026

Downtown Pensacola’s Palafox Street is officially back open to pedestrians following a five-month, nearly $10 million infrastructure overhaul.

Dubbed the “New Palafox” project, the massive undertaking wrapped up early and under budget, making it the largest and quickest street project in the city’s history. Over the course of 139 days, crews transformed five city blocks to feature brand-new, ADA-accessible sidewalks and major upgrades to the downtown stormwater infrastructure. Because the city beat its completion deadline, the project qualifies for a 10% bonus incentive.

For more photos, click here.

Mayor D.C. Reeves celebrated the milestone Friday afternoon alongside local small business owners at a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony.

While pedestrians and cyclists have already begun flooding the expanded sidewalks, vehicular traffic will not be permitted back on Palafox Street until June 1. Meanwhile, the next phase of downtown construction is set to shift to nearby side streets, including Romana, Intendencia, and Zaragoza.

Photos for Northscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT FEATURE 

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