PORT TOWNSEND — Construction has begun to replace the Boat Haven’s deteriorating pier with one that can handle more weight when boats are lifted out of the water.
A 160-foot crane barge on Thursday brought in the material to install the 26 steel pilings that will support the new pier.
The current pier can handle weights up to 75 tons, which includes a 46,000-pound boat lift, which is driven onto the pier to pick up boats for renovation or repair.
The new pier will be able to withstand 80 tons.
“In my 12 years here, this is the project that has given us the greatest return on investment because it will provide us with a fully functioning pier for many years to come,” said Port of Port Townsend Director Larry Crockett.
The lift used on the Boat Haven pier is considered small, compared with the large lift at the Port Townsend Boat Yard, which can lift 330 tons, according to Jim Pivarnik, Port of Port Townsend deputy director.
“We get a lot of attention for the large boat lifts but the smaller ones provide the port’s bread and butter,” Crockett said.
He said that the construction will ensure that 400 marine-trade jobs will continue to exist.
Crockett said the project will be finished by the beginning of March but that the pile driving will need to be completed by Feb. 14 because of a “fish window.”
That prohibits shoreline construction for five months out of the year to prevent interference with salmon migration.
“If we could get a couple of weeks of good weather, this will get finished faster,” Crockett said.
The project is less expensive than anticipated, costing $780,000 after an initial bid of 1.3 million, Crockett said.
That amount does not include a projected $80,000 to remove the old pier as did the original bid.
“After the demolition, it will still cost $300,000 less than what we expected, so it is a real savings,” Crockett said.
The new pier will be located on “the business end” of the Boat Haven rather than in the middle, where it interferes with recreational boating, Crockett said.
It will extend about 100 feet out into the harbor.
Crockett expects that people will come into the Boat Haven to observe the construction’s progress.
“There should be lots of interesting work over the next couple months for those who want to watch,” he said.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.