PORT ANGELES – The City of Port Angeles is about to begin another phase of improvements to the city pier, this time tackling the big job of replacing the 1,300 foot-long pedestrian safety railing.

The $438,000 project is set to begin Monday, February 6, and will be done in two phases over a period of about 4 months. It’s one of several infrastructure improvements made to the 50-year-old facility over the last six years. The Parks & Recreation Department has replaced various sections of rusted or rotted railing over the years, but the entire system has reached the end of its lifespan and requires a full replacement.

City Manager Nathan West explains why the project is so important.

“I can tell you our Parks and Rec Department is tired of painting over rusted railings, and they probably cannot be painted over any longer. And it’s really needed because City Pier is part of what people see when they first come here, as they’re waiting to board the ferry, or as they’re arriving. And you see the tower out there, and you want to go climb the tower and be a part of what you see at City Pier. And it’s important that it’s safe and that ultimately it functions well for all the different events and activities that we have out there.”

The new safety railing will require minimal maintenance. Made from hot-dipped galvanized steel, the railing will be long-lasting and will not require paint.

For safety purposes, portions of the City Pier will be closed during installation in the area of each phase. From February 6 to March 24, in zones 1 and 2, access to and from cruise ships and the City Pier viewing tower will be closed.

After that, until about the end of May, access to the boat ramp along the boardwalk and heading towards 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. To learn more and stay up to date on all City projects, please visit www.cityofpa.us/cityprojects.