SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, December 9, the city of Santa Monica announced on its website that construction is officially underway on the long-anticipated project to replace and upgrade the 86-year-old Santa Monica Pier Bridge.
Construction crews are mobilizing onsite and staging equipment this week and next week to start early fieldwork and site preparation for the Pier Bridge Replacement Project. Initial activities will include potholing and utility work, as well as widening and strengthening portions of the Pier in advance of bridge demolition and construction.
Pier restaurants, shops and entertainment, as well as parking and visitor access, will remain open and accessible throughout construction, ensuring residents and visitors can continue to enjoy the Pier with minimal disruption.
Approximately one-third of the parking lot area at Beach Parking Lot 1 North, adjacent to the Pier, will be used as the construction staging area. Approximately 726 parking spaces will remain available at Beach Parking Lot 1 during construction. Wayfinding signage is being installed to direct drivers to multiple alternate parking locations near the Pier.
Construction is expected to continue through the end of 2027.
Approximate project timeline overview:
-January 2026 – Pier Sign removal for rehabilitation
-January-April 2026 – Temporary vehicle and pedestrian ramp installation
-May-August 2026 – Bridge demolition
-August 2026-December 2027 – Bridge construction
-July 2027 – Pier Sign reinstallation
-July-October 2027 – Remove temporary vehicle and pedestrian bridge, restore Parking Lot 1 North
-December 2027 – Project completion
Business and visitor access:
With construction underway, and expected to last approximately 2 years, temporary access improvements will keep the Pier welcoming and easy to navigate ahead of the bridge demolition in mid-2026:
-A temporary pedestrian bridge will connect visitors from Ocean Avenue to the Pier
-A temporary vehicular ramp will maintain access to the Pier from the beach parking lot for emergency vehicles, deliveries, and public parking
-A comprehensive wayfinding and signage program will guide visitors during construction
The bridge was built in 1939, and the Pier Bridge connects Ocean Avenue and Colorado Avenue to the Santa Monica Pier. The project will construct a new bridge that is seismically upgraded, more accessible and designed to serve residents, visitors and businesses for decades to come – well ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The new bridge will:
-Meet modern seismic and safety standards
-Provide a 75-year service life
-Expand sidewalks to improve pedestrian access
-Realign walkways on the Pier deck to improve circulation
For additional details and updates on the Pier Bridge Replacement Project visit: https://www.santamonica.gov/programs/pier-bridge-improvements.
By Danny Jones