As the summer season begins, plans are afoot to replace almost 70 of the 2,000 steel braces under the Oceanside pier. You could call a "leg lift."
Kiel Koger, Oceanside's public works division manager, said maintenance of the 1,942-foot-long pier is an ongoing effort. Support braces are replaced annually from the west end of the pier to its foot, as city fund are available.
So far, a third of the braces have been replaced, along with most of the decking.
Koger said the timing of this year’s repairs is optimal. Previously repairs were done in winter to avoid the tourist season.
Now that work on the pier is moving closer to the shoreline, it is being undertaken in summer when the waves are smaller.
Koger said the pier is structurally sound and will be open for people to stroll and fish on while repairs are underway.
“We’re proud of our pier,” he said. “It’s the longest one on the West Coast. We want to keep it well maintained and for everyone to enjoy. Hopefully the construction will have very little impact on the tourists or citizens or the business owners on the pier.”
The wood portion of the pier was rebuilt in 1987, after heavy storms wiped out three previous piers at the same location. Former piers were built in 1894, 1903 and 1927.
Koger said the $200,000 earmarked for this year’s repairs is twice the amount the city spent last year. Extra department funds have also allowed the city to add new benches to the pier.
Next year the city hopes to repair the cement foot of the pier that was built in 1927, replace worn railings and switch out lights to LED fixtures and bulbs, he said.
No amount of upkeep could stand against Mother Nature if big waves come, Koger said.
“If we get 50-foot waves at some point in the future, then it might not last through that. But we’re just doing some routine maintenance to hopefully extend it as long as we can,” he said.
Between now and the end of the summer season, Ballard Marine Construction in Oakland will fabricate the braces and hardware to exact specifications. Then the company will install them in late summer.
