A significant portion of the Avila Pier that had been closed for nearly four years has reopened just in time for the busy summer season.
Locals and tourists enjoying the Avila Beach Farmers Market on Friday night were seen exploring the newly-reopened section of the pier.
Roughly half of the pier is now accessible to the public again, however, the end section still remains closed.
In March, the Port San Luis Harbor Manager told KSBY that an engineering report had recently been conducted on the pier. The report found that with some maintenance and additional surveys, it was possible the pier could reopen to what is known as “Bent 58.” Harbor Manager Andrea Lueker said that was roughly halfway down the pier.
The goal was to have that section of the pier reopened by summer, and it appears they met that goal with time to spare.
Now visitors are likely wondering when the rest of the pier will reopen. The engineering company that conducted the report, Moffatt & Nichol, said in order to reopen the entire pier, additional pile work would need to be done.
Lueker previously said it was too early to estimate the cost of making those repairs, and there is no estimated time frame for reopening the entire pier.
The pier closed in June of 2015. At the time, Port San Luis officials said they had contacted a structural engineer after noticing large crowds gathering on the pier. Many were there to watch whales visiting the area.
