The Santa Cruz Pier reopened to visitors and businesses on Saturday, less than two weeks after waves from a powerful storm collapsed more than 100 feet of the pier into the ocean.
“Let the community, people all over Northern California, know that it's safe to come to our pier,” Mayor Fred Keeley said during a reopening ceremony over the weekend.
About 150 feet along the end of the pier were washed away last month during dangerous surf caused by a series of atmospheric river events that hit northern California, Oregon and Washington.
The end of the pier was already closed to the public for renovations due to heavy rain and storms over the past two years. Last month's waves toppled construction equipment and a bathroom building, according to city officials.
Three construction workers acting as project managers and construction leaders fell into the ocean when the pier collapsed. Two were rescued by first responders and one got out, city officials said.
A video posted on social media showed part of the pier floating in the water. The city immediately closed the pier.
Keeley said safety professionals have checked the pier “from start to finish, wall to wall, side to side” and with ocean sonar equipment to ensure it was “in good repair and safe” for visitors and merchants.
Infrastructure advisory firm Moffatt & Nichol completed a structural and sonar assessment of the city's pier in the weeks after the collapse, which “confirmed that the structure remains sound.” The city has urged residents to report any sightings of debris related to the pier.
The Santa Cruz Pier attracts between 1.5 and 2 million visitors each year, but the collapse has raised questions about whether the pier should be rebuilt, as city officials estimate more damaging storms are on the way amid the change. climatic.
