The Santa Cruz Pier reopened to visitors and businesses on Saturday, less than two weeks after waves from a powerful storm caused more than 100 feet of the pier to collapse into the sea.
“Let the community know, let people across Northern California know that it is safe to come to our marina,” Mayor Fred Keeley said at a weekend reopening ceremony.
About 150 feet of the end of the pier was washed away last month after a series of atmospheric river events in Northern California, Oregon and Washington state caused dangerously high waves.
Due to heavy rain and storms in the past two years, the end of the pier has been closed to the public for renovations. Last month’s waves destroyed construction equipment and a restroom, according to city officials.
Three construction workers who were project managers and leaders fell into the sea when the pier collapsed. Two of them were rescued by lifeguards, and one climbed out, city officials said.
Video posted on social media showed part of the pier floating in the water. The city immediately closed the pier.
Keeley said security professionals inspected the pier “from end to end, wall to wall, side to side” and used marine sonar equipment to ensure the pier was safe for tourists and business people. Sound and safe”.
Infrastructure consultancy Moffatt & Nichol completed a structural and sonar assessment of the city’s pier in the weeks after the collapse, “confirming that the structure remains intact”. The city has urged residents to report any sightings of pier-related debris.
The Santa Cruz Pier receives 1.5 million to 2 million visitors a year, but its collapse has raised questions about whether to rebuild the pier as city officials estimate more damaging storms will occur during climate change.
