New warning signs posted at Ocean Beach Pier

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — New signage warning beachgoers to stay out of the 75-foot buffer zone around the Ocean Beach Pier went up last week.

It comes as residents anxiously await next steps on construction on the replacement for the 58-year-old wood pier, which has been closed for nearly a year after high surf and storms left the structure in a state of disrepair.

Demolition notices have been posted on the storied structure, but no construction timeline has been officially announced.

The city implemented a 75-foot perimeter for swimmers and beachgoers around the pier due to falling debris earlier this year. At the time, video showed bits of the pier being swept away into high surf.

The new signs reiterate this ban on swimming, wading, surfing or skin diving within this boundary around the pier.

The new signs posted last week join other measures city officials have taken to keep the public away from the pier in an effort to prevent injuries or other incidents. San Diego lifeguards put up new cameras in a number of areas , including the pier, to help with “situational awareness.”

The project to renovate the over 1,500-foot-long pier has been in the works for several years after a 2018 city report concluded the structure had reached the end of its service life. Subsequent studies found that crafting a new structure was the most feasible option for the city.

A final design rendering for what will eventually become the new Ocean Beach Pier was released back in April, merging together three concepts released during public workshops to get a sense of what residents wanted out of the pier’s successor.

When the design was unveiled, city officials said they were in the midst of the arduous state environmental review process. They are also seeking state and federal funding opportunities to cover funding for the $170 million to $190 million.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.