PORT ANGELES — Safety railing at the Port Angeles City Pier will be replaced in work that begins today.
The work includes the removal of the existing railing and the installation of a new 1,300-foot pedestrian barrier.
A contract for the work was awarded to Neely Construction in the amount of $438,464 after City Council approval in November.
Portions of the City Pier facility will be closed today. The project is expected to be complete, with City Pier fully reopened, in May.
The project is one of several recent infrastructure improvements made to the nearly 50-year-old facility.
Over the last six years, the city has upgraded the pier’s fire suppression system, installed transient moorage floats, completed an overall inspection of the facility’s pilings and updated its load ratings.
“The City has been making a great effort to complete capital projects that make our community facilities safer, easier to maintain, and more visually pleasing. The City Pier Railing Replacement project is no different,” said Parks & Recreation Director Corey Delikat, in a press release.
“We are really excited about this endeavor,” he added. “This is a project that we have wanted to complete for quite some time.”
The Parks & Recreation Department has replaced various sections of rusted or rotted railing over the years. Now the rails have reached the end of their lifespan and require a full replacement, officials said.
The new safety railing will require minimal maintenance, Delikat said. Made from hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) steel, the railing will be long-lasting, corrosion-resistant and will not require paint.
An anticipated timeline of the closures is listed here:
• Monday through March 24: Zones 1 and 2, which include access to and from cruise ships and the City Pier viewing tower, will be closed.
After March 24, an 8-foot-wide easement will allow pedestrian access to and from the cruise ship and viewing tower areas.
• March 27 through May 24: Zone 3, including access to the boat ramp along the boardwalk and heading toward Fiero Marine Life Center, will be closed. Access to the Fiero Marine Life Center will not be impacted.
Project information and updates will be made available on the city’s website at www.cityofpa.us/cityprojects.
