SAN DIEGO — Repairing the damaged Ocean Beach Pier is no longer feasible, city officials said Friday.
The 58-year-old Ocean Beach Pier has been closed since it was damaged by high surf in October 2023. Further damage occurred last December when a support bracket broke off and fell into the ocean.
"Engineering teams have determined that any work to rehabilitate the pier is not feasible, especially given the likelihood of additional damage occurring during future winter storms," officials said in a statement released Friday.
The safest and most cost-effective option for the Ocean Beach Pier is to keep the structure closed to public access while the city moves forward with a long-term solution to replace the pier, the statement said.
"The Ocean Beach Pier is an iconic landmark of San Diego, but it was built nearly six decades ago and no longer can withstand the impacts of rising sea levels and storm surge along our coast," said Assistant Director of the Engineering and Capital Projects Department Elif Cetin. "The decision on how to proceed factors in the likelihood that future storms will cause additional damage to the pier in coming years and whether it makes sense to pour resources into a structure that will continue to need extensive repairs or to instead invest in the long-term pier-replacement project."
A report released Friday outlined several immediate measures that could be taken to address the recent damage to the pier. However, due to the overall cost, timeline, feasibility and environmental permitting that would be required for those options, the city decided to leave the pier as is.
"Our pier is at the end of its useful service life," said Elif Cetin, Assistant Director for Strategic Capital Projects.
Those immediate measures would not allow for the reopening of the pier. Additional repairs or rehabilitation would be required to reopen the it, which would include extensive construction, heavy machinery and the need to build a structure to support the equipment and construction personnel.
It could be several more years, though, before a new pier is ready.
"We are looking at five to six years before we have another functioning pier," Cetin said.
First. the environmental permitting process must be completed, and funding has to be secured.
While the state has already provided $8 million for the design phase, the overall estimated price tag for the new pier project is between $170 and $190 million.
Cetin said the mayor's office is exploring all possible options.
"The city will be looking into grants or any other funding, so we are actively looking for it," Cetin added, "but that has not been identified at this point."
While the current pier does not pose an immediate threat to public safety, additional signs have been posted reminding visitors to be cautious when visiting the area, the city report said.
The San Diego Municipal Code states it is against the law for anyone to swim, wade, surf or skin dive within 75 feet of any fishing pier owned or operated by the city.
A 2018 study determined that the pier was beyond its useful life, recommending pursuing its replacement. At the time, minimal repairs would have cost about $8 million, and rehabilitation would have cost about $30 million to $50 million. Since that 2018 study was conducted, the pier damage and construction repair costs have significantly increased, further bolstering the case for replacement, according to the city.
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