Imperial Beach Pier Repairs to Continue Through May

To keep the Douglas Fir planks of the Imperial Beach Fishing Pier in shape, construction crews will work to replace portions of the structure through May, a Port of San Diego representative told IB Patch.

"It's natural wood planks on the pier so every few years they have to replace the ones that are worn down," said spokeswoman Tanya Castaneda.

Upkeep of the pier to remove uneven or lumpy planks takes place every two to three years. Planks on the pier were last replaced in 2010. Work started three weeks ago is expected to be completed by late May.

The repair work takes place at night and is being funded through the Port of San Diego's major maintenance fund, Castaneda said.

About 1,200 of the pier's planks, each weighing about 250 pounds, will be replaced. New planks are brought to the pier using custom trailers but are first dried in a kiln and pressure treated to improve their durability.

Construction is expected to cost up to $400,000, Castaneda said. A portion of a parking lot at the corner of Seacoast Drive and Elkwood Avenue is being used as a staging area.