Port picks less costly pier option By Sharon Kivisto
posted 10/29/02
The Port of Friday Harbor commissioners agreed to a $200,000 repair plan for the main pier rather than the $500,000 option. Commissioner Mike Ahrenius said, "There's a lot of life in it. The economy needs to make improvements before anyone starts spending a lot of money. This is best plan we have seen yet."
Harbormaster Ed Barrett explained the situation:
We asked our engineers to cost out several scenarios on
reconstructing the deck of the Main Pier, partly and in whole with both
timber decking and glu-lam decking. We found that if we completely
re-decked and did all the repairs on our wish list, the cost would be around
$500,000 and the pier would last another 20 years with a 20-ton load limit
(H-20). During the course of that 20 year life span, the pier would require
another $500,000 in maintenance. Complete replacement of the pier is
estimated to be $1.3 million dollars.
This creates an interesting situation that left staff wondering what to
recommend. Repair or rebuild? Staff has decided, in view of the 20 year
life span and the costs involved during an economic downturn, to recommend
repairing only the parts of the pier deck that are extremely worn, replacing
the bad piling and caps, removing the crane, painting it and replacing it,
and adding two batter piling instead of four. We recommend that all the
railing work be done in-house (a savings of $33,000), because we have the
method already in place to do so. We also recommend adding the additional
cross-bracing.
The new plan will give the pier a 15-ton truck load rating. Barrett said most of the damage to the pier was done "when the dive fisheries were really going." A 20-ton truck load rating was necessary to accommodate the fisheries. Port staff said the lower rating would accommodate a garbage truck or fire engine. The commissioners agreed the fisheries wouldn't be coming back and the lower limit would work.
The work to be done includes:
- Install four stell batter piles to improve lateral stability of the end of the pier.
- Replace the cross-bracing on three bents.
- Replace six bearing piles.
- Replace one fender/float guid pile.
- Remove one old unused pile (possibly more).
- Repair/replace the pile bad caps at bents 9 and 10.
- Remove, paint and re-install existing crane.
Port ponders pier problem
posted 10/16/01
Before they give the go-ahead to replace decking on the main pier, Port Commissioners want an analysis of how strong it needs to be. A recent inspection triggered by concern over the rough surface revealed three bad pilings and worn decking. Because of the findings, Harbormaster Ed Barrett said the pier was derated from 20 tons to 15 tons.
Port staff will report back on who uses the pier and at what weights. Port Commissioner Brian Calvert wants a cost analysis done of the options. He noted the pier probably doesn't need to handle heavy loads of sea cucumber harvests anymore.
While problems were found, Barrett said the engineer inspecting the 30-year-old pier said it was in remarkably good shape for its age.
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