SAN DIEGO — The future of the Ocean Beach Pier is in the spotlight as the city looks at a long-term plan for the aging pier.
The 56-year-old pier has been closed to the public since January. Recent storms have only made the damage worse.
Monday morning, the city took the media on a tour of the damage.
"The damage is occurring at such a rate that its requiring more and more frequent and more and more expensive repairs," said Matthew Martinez, an engineer with Moffatt & Nichol hired by the City of San Diego.
In 2018, Mofft & Nichol conducted a study on the aging pier. It found various structural problems with the pier and determined that it has reached the end of its service life.
During the tour, we saw dolphins playing in the water. The up-close look at marine life is a reminder of why the public enjoys the OB Pier so much.
According to Martinez, recent storms have generated big waves that are so powerful they have actually gone over the top of the pier and taken some of the railings out.
He said there's no immediate concern that the pier is going to collapse or anything like that, but he says the city needs to really consider a long-term solution.
He said over the years, salt has corroded the reinforcing steel, which has resulted in damage to the concrete.
"No structure lasts forever," said Martinez. "We can continue in a cycle of ever increasing and frequent repairs. The city is considering all of the evidence of repair, rehabilitation and total replacement, and I think the total replacement scheme they've indicated is the most likely one at this time."
A price tag on total replacement hasn't been determined. Martinez said based on the 2018 study, the price tag was in the $60 million range. He said it is likely higher now.
The city said its holding a series of workshops to get input from the public. The first one is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Liberty Station Conference Center, 2600 Laning Road.
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Watch Related: City of San Diego waiting for storms to pass to assess Ocean Beach Pier damage; hopes to reopen (Mar 10, 2023)