Bellingham Marine repairs 1,200 linear feet structural damage at the Los Angeles Venice Fishing Pier.
The Venice Fishing Pier reaches out from beige sand beaches into the Pacific Ocean along the coastline of Southern California. The 16-foot-wide pier is supported by a total of 157 concrete piles. Throughout its life, the concrete piles supporting the structure have been continuously exposed to the ravages of ocean saltwater. Over time the saltwater exposure has caused corrosive reactions with the metallic material resulting in deterioration of the structure and significantly reducing the structural integrity of the pier itself.
The City of Los Angeles Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners announced a bid for project proposals to address these issues, and in August of 2020 Bellingham Marine was awarded the contract for the first phase of repairs. The contract scope included concrete repair and a comprehensive restoration of 1,200 linear feet of structure on the underside of the pier. Bellingham Marine repaired 42 concrete piles with FRP repair jacket sizes ranging from 10’ to 20’ long and 25” diameter. The structural damage to the Pier was so significant that equipment was unable to be utilized on the pier and required repairs to be made with limited machinery.
The challenges of accessing the underside of the pier for these repairs, while ensuring a safe working environment, were accomplished with a creative solution. Bellingham Marine worked with a third party to design a custom scaffolding system that reduced the overall load on the structure during the renovation. The repairs were meticulously completed by hand, demonstrating the skill and craftsmanship of the Bellingham Marine crews.
The pier first opened in 1964, and on most days, you can see locals and visitors fishing from its twelve fishing stations. The project broke ground in September 2020 and is on track to be open to the public for the summer 2021 season. The completion date for the first phase of the three-part repair project is July 30, 2021.
