Santa Monica Pier Renewal Project

Initially built as a public utility for hauling sewage to the ocean, the Santa Monica Pier has evolved into an iconic world destination. Whether you know it as a tourist attraction, the backdrop for a movie scene, or as the official western end-point for historic U.S. Highway Route 66, the Pier is an entity with a life of its own. Although its original purpose was simple, its composition most certainly has not been. The original Pier was the first entirely concrete pier on the west coast and over the years the structure, and its uses, have changed substantially. From ballrooms and yacht harbors to an amusement park and restaurants, the Santa Monica Pier has supported it all. The purpose of the Pier Renewal Project was to ensure that support (in its truest form – structurally) was not just maintained, but enhanced. Built in the early 1900s, the original Pier structure had undergone several remodels over its 100-plus year life and the time had come for another. The Pier Renewal Project removed and installed a portion of the Pier stretching from the edge of the sand to approximately 365 feet westward over the Pacific Ocean, thereby providing increased structural soundness and significantly extending the Pier’s service life. Because of these improvements, emergency and delivery trucks can now drive the Pier roadway up to a few hundred feet from the Pier’s end. The majority of the Pier is now rated to withstand H-20 Highway Bridge loading. The City of Santa Monica took a proactive stance in maintaining its Pier and was also dedicated to keeping the Pier 100% open for businesses and the public throughout the renewal process. In fact, the work became another amenity with many people stopping to watch the renovation. A temporary pedestrian trestle was constructed along the south side of the work zone. Throughout construction, the trestle provided continuous access to the end of the pier for visitors, maintenance activities, deliveries, and public safety personnel. After the trestle was opened to the public, construction involved: completely demolishing a 365-foot long by 36-foot wide section of the Pier; driving new 75-foot long, 20-inch diameter concrete piles 50 feet below the sea floor; pouring the cast-in-place concrete bent caps and tie beams; and installing new timber stringers and decking. Additionally, all utilities running under the Pier were temporarily relocated under the trestle prior to demolition and permanently relocated after the new section was completed. The Pier Renewal Project ensures that the Santa Monica Pier will remain open for business for another 100 years and will continue to be a beloved destination and international icon not only to the citizens of Santa Monica, but also to the millions of out of state and international tourists who visit the pier every year. Now, the Pier serves as a roadway for emergency and delivery vehicles as well as the 20,000+ bicyclists and pedestrians that visit the Pier every day.