Here’s the link to the City of San Diego’s website on the OB Pier Renewal – and here is how it begins:
Ocean Beach Pier Background
The Ocean Beach (OB) Pier first opened on July 2, 1966. Conceived as a sportfishing pier, the facility enables the public to access and interact with the ocean. There is no fee for walking out onto the pier and fishing licenses are not required.
During the first 25 years of service, the structure received normal ongoing maintenance required by exposure to the harsh marine environment, where it is subjected to wind, waves and the salt?laden marine atmosphere. In 1991, the pier underwent major structural rehabilitation. Since the early 2000s, exposure to large waves and ongoing degradation has required structural repairs with increasing frequency. The pier has been temporarily closed several times in recent years due to damage suffered in storms and high surf. In 2023, the pier was closed from January to July, reopening just in time for its 57th anniversary. But high surf in October damaged the pier and forced it to close again. The pier will remain closed into early 2024 because of the potential for additional structural impairment during the winter storm season.
Based on the findings of a 2018 study of the OB Pier, the City has determined that pursuing a potential replacement of the pier is the best option considering the ongoing costs of repairs, the need to modernize the existing facility and the anticipation of future sea level rise. The 2018 study by consultant Moffatt & Nichol examined the damage and deterioration of the structure and analyzed three options for the future of the pier: repair, rehabilitate or replace. The study documented various structural problems with the pier and determined that it has reached the end of its service life.
