Maintenance work begins on Imperial Beach Pier: When will it be closed

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Imperial Beach Pier is set to close for a few days this week and next as it undergoes maintenance work.

Over the next few weeks, Port of San Diego crews will be replacing two pilings to reinforce the pier's structural integrity, as well as localized replacement of deck boards and utility piping work.

The work is all part of the Port of San Diego's multi-million-dollar beautification project, which began back in 2021.

Other improvements undertaken over the last few years include new coats of paint, placement of shade canopies, addition of distance markers and replacement to the wood railing around the Tin Fish Restaurant.

"The Imperial Beach Pier is iconic to Imperial Beach, we're a beach town, beach visitor serving area," Imperial Beach Mayor pro Tempore Mitch McCay said of the importance for upkeep to the pier. "So folks come down here, they expect to see the pier, to fish on the pier. As a matter of fact, it's one of the few piers that's still open currently."

Public access to the pier while crews are working on over the next few weeks will be limited with brief closures. Beachgoers can still largely access the pier Monday and Tuesday, as crews conduct staging and preparatory work ahead of the first full closure Wednesday, Nov. 20.

The pier will open up again to the public briefly on Saturday, Nov. 23 and Sunday, Nov. 24 before a partial closure begins on Monday, Nov. 25. The landmark will fully reopen just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, Nov. 28.

More work under the beautification project is anticipated to continue into 2025, which could mean additional temporary closures. The project is expected to be complete by sometime next summer.

FOX 5's Elizabeth Alvarez contributed to this report.