Pier Parking Repairs Studied

The northern half of the Municipal Pier parking structure in Redondo Beach will be repaired after a consulting firm completes a structural analysis later this year, Public Works Director Ken Montgomery said. He said the 25-year-old structure is showing signs of deterioration but none that would warrant concerns about public safety.

Montgomery said corrosion of steel reinforcing rods in concrete slabs and columns has produced cracks and spalling, or surface chipping, in some areas, particularly on the upper deck of the two-level structure, which is exposed to salty air and mist. Spalling occurs, he said, when rust expands the steel rods, causing surface pieces of concrete to pop out.

He said the consulting firm, T.Y. Lin International of San Francisco, will take core samples, calculate structural strengths and estimate repair costs. The City Council has budgeted $200,000 for the project.

The north half of the parking structure extends over the Fun Factory and other businesses along the International Boardwalk. The south half, a three-level structure built about 15 years ago, may be included later in the engineering studies, Montgomery said.