Posted on December 22, 2021
San Diego (KUSI) – The city announced on Monday that it will begin emergency repairs on parts of Ocean Beach Wharf this week to repair the damage caused by the storm in January 2021.
According to a city statement, repairs will take about four months, depending on the weather and tides. Once the repairs are complete, the pier will be fully reopened for the first time in over a year.
In January, a 55-year-old pier was damaged by high waves. City crew repaired a broken railing along the pier before partially reopening on May 28. The western end of the pier is not open to the public after serious damage to two columns, also known as stakes that support the structure vertically.
The wharf, which had been closed since January, has had a clock ticking since the city completed inspections in 2019 and discovered that it had “reached the end of its useful life.” Emergency repairs are intended for temporary repairs.
“We look forward to completing these emergency repairs so that San Diegan can once again enjoy everything this iconic landmark offers,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “We are also working on a long-term plan to keep Ocean Beach Pier accessible and in good condition for generations to come.”
Inspections in 2019 found cracked piles and erosion along the 1,971 foot length of the pier. However, it was especially found at the intersection of a pier that slopes downward from land and a pier that slopes slightly upward toward the surface of the water.
A 364-page report, written by Moffatt & Nichol at a taxpayer’s expense of nearly $ 700,000, found three options in the future.
The first and cheapest is to repair existing damage at a cost of about $ 8 million. This will essentially move the problem forward. 55-year-old structures have collapsed and continue to deteriorate, requiring more expensive repairs in the future.
Second, the city could repair the pier somewhere between $ 30 million and nearly $ 50 million, which would extend its useful life but “do not address the sea level rise vulnerability,” the report said.
Finally, and most expensive, the city will destroy it and build a new pier. This will run in the range of $ 40 million to $ 60 million, but the new pier will have a useful life of over 75 years.
“Our historic fishing pier on Ocean Beach has been severely damaged over the years, temporarily restricting resident and visitor access to this coastal attraction,” said Ocean Beach. Said councilor Jennifer Campbell on behalf of. “Fortunately, the emergency repairs are continuing to drive discussions about the future of the entire pier, so we can regain full access.”
In July, Gloria announced more than $ 200 million of state funding allocated to regional projects, including $ 8.4 million to Ocean Beach Wharf. The pier is the second longest on the west coast and attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually.
Future construction of piers may include up-to-date materials at higher elevations to withstand potential sea level rises and the effects of climate change.
The city repaired the pier from the damage caused by the winter storm and reopened in June 2020, but closed again in January after the next storm.
San Diego to begin emergency repairs on Ocean Beach Pier this week – Source link San Diego to begin emergency repairs on Ocean Beach Pier this week –
