SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diegans will have to wait until spring to enjoy long walks on the Ocean Beach Pier, after the city repairs the damages caused by January 2021 storms.
Emergency repairs will begin this week and are expected to take approximately four months, according to a city statement Monday. Once repairs are complete, the pier will fully reopen for the first time in more than a year.
The 55-year-old pier has been shuttered since January, after high surf battered the pier and damaged parts of the railing.
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The pier’s west end has remained closed to the public after significant damage to two columns, also known as piles, which vertically support the structure.
The OB pier is the second-longest on the West Coast and attracts more than 500,000 visitors annually.
Any future construction of the pier will likely include solutions to address sea-level rise attributed to climate change, and a potential full replacement of the pier after a City study determined that the pier has exceeded its service life.
“We are also working on a long-term plan to keep the Ocean Beach Pier accessible and in good shape for generations to come,” said Mayor Todd Gloria.
In July, Mayor Gloria announced state funding of more than $200 million allocated for regional projects, including $8.4 million for the Ocean Beach Pier.