The stairs at the foot of Bermuda Avenue in Ocean Beach are finally open. And they’re beautiful!
The $3.65 million replacement project was initiated in 2018, started construction in the spring of 2023, and was completed in July 2024. They were damaged during winter storms in 2015-16, and were closed due to tidal action that eroded the lower stairway foundation causing the lower stairs to collapse.
Tyler Becker, senior City spokesperson, stated:
“The original staircase, which was constructed in the 1940s, collapsed due to decades of exposure to the harsh coastal environment. The top landing and backfill eroded, concrete material broke down due to natural weathering and pieces of reinforcement corroded.”
“The new staircase has a similar alignment to the original stairs and is constructed on a concrete block for the first flight, followed by cast-in-drilled-hole piles for the two upper flights. The entire staircase is made of high-strength concrete and epoxy-coated rebars for more durability and less maintenance. The staircase was designed to be independent of the existing seawall while also accounting for sea-level rise.”
News source: The Beacon
Here are some pics of the progress of the project along the way, thanks to Peninsula News June 15, 2023
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See this link for PL-OB Monthly
Yes, it does look like they did a good job (simple and sturdy)—-need to go by there and check it out.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
It’s lovely to have enhanced access now to Bermuda Beach, as it’s less than 1 block from our home. Since its opening, I’ve noticed lots of off-leash dogs (typically around 3-5 on most afternoons) cruising around, playing fetch with their owners, leaping into the water, and generally having a great time. While I don’t have an issue with it, despite them urinating all over (and defecating, though their owners are always mindful), but dogs are not legally permitted until after 6pm, and only then, must be leashed. I’m curious what the community thinks about the rule and the presence of off-leashed pups here.
Update from NBC:
“The original staircase, which was constructed in the 1940s, collapsed due to decades of exposure to the harsh coastal environment,” San Diego City Tyler Becker told NBC 7 via email on Monday. “The top landing and backfill eroded, concrete material broke down due to natural weathering and pieces of reinforcement corroded.”
In a possible harbinger of things to come (the latest cost projection for a replacement for the out-of-commission Ocean Beach Pier is $170-$190 million), the price tag of the three-flight staircase was $3.65 million.”
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/3-65-million-three-flight-beach-staircase-opens-near-sunset-cliffs/3618423/