It seems to be the tip of an period for a crumbling Ocean Seashore icon. Town’s 58-year-old pier gained’t reopen, after an engineer’s report discovered that stabilizing current harm can be too pricey.
As a substitute, the town will hold transferring ahead with efforts to reimagine the pier’s future in the long run and hopefully change it.
“Because of the general value, timeline and feasibility of [stabilization] choices, the town has determined to go away the pier as is,” metropolis officers mentioned in a information launch Friday.
The Ocean Seashore Pier was shuttered in October in anticipation of winter storms, however in contrast to in earlier years, the beloved landmark didn’t reopen within the spring after a season battered by excessive surf.
Metropolis employees sped up a long-planned evaluation of the pier and posted new indicators within the space, reiterating warnings to beachgoers and surfers to maintain their distance — at the very least 75 ft.
The engineer’s report confirmed what many had seen: A piling on the south aspect of the ageing construction — in addition to a portion of the pile cap and huge sections of its railing — had been wiped away by historic swells.
Town obtained the ultimate memo Thursday from consultants Moffatt & Nichol, which estimated the fee to stabilize the lacking pile and reinforce one other corroded pile cap on the north aspect of the pier can be about $550,000.
San Diego has already spent $1.7 million on non permanent fixes to the pier within the final 5 years, not together with employees time and different sources.
The pier’s indefinite closure may not come as a shock to most.
Metropolis officers have been working for over a yr on a renewal venture for the long-lasting landmark, after a 2018 research decided it was on the finish of its service life. The plan will not be but sure, however each the group and the town choose to exchange the pier reasonably than undertake main repairs.
Worsening winter storms and extra frequent closures have heightened the venture’s urgency. Town unveiled its most well-liked design idea for a brand new pier in April, and its venture staff is working to garner extra public enter.
Metropolis officers had beforehand mentioned any structural enhancements can be extra like a Band-Assist till the renewal venture can transfer ahead. They now say they’ll skip the Band-Assist and concentrate on the extra long-term answer of changing the pier altogether.
The brand new engineer’s report echoed these sentiments, recommending that the pier stay closed until the misplaced pile might be changed and full deck help reestablished.
“Enacting this restore is a pricey proposition and will not have enough advantage in mild of the proposed pier demolition,” the report states.
Though the report signifies that future storms may trigger extra harm — much more extreme than final winter’s — any falling particles is anticipated to land close to the pier on the ocean ground because of the density of the concrete items.
As a result of the failed sections are so removed from shore, the report discovered there isn’t any risk to public security if the pier stays closed and the general public stays at the very least 75 ft away.
The areas of biggest concern — beneath the pier on dry land or over comparatively shallow water, because of the issue limiting public entry — are in good situation as a result of the deck parts are up and out of the splash zone, the report added.
Town hopes to current an up to date remaining design idea for a substitute pier this fall at one other group workshop. However the venture nonetheless must undergo environmental critiques and allowing earlier than development may begin.
Demolition and development will happen concurrently, seemingly beginning the place the pier connects to land, in line with metropolis officers.
The brand new pier can be inbuilt about the identical footprint as the prevailing pier however can have a better deck elevation to attenuate the potential for wave harm and account for future sea-level rise.
A substitute is estimated to value $170 million to $190 million. Town plans to pursue a mix of federal and state grants to assist fund it.
Alvarenga writes for the San Diego-Union Tribune.
