End of St. Johns County pier closed indefinitely for pillar assessment

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – The last 100 feet of the St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier will be closed indefinitely while officials conduct an assessment of the pillars closest to the ocean, the county announced Friday.

County officials said earlier this week, maintenance workers noticed that some of the pier’s support pillars appeared to show “evidence of decay.”

RELATED | ‘Where did the water go?’: St. Augustine Beach mayor says he’s been getting phone calls about the pier

The pillars are normally underwater but became exposed during the beach renourishment efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

After noticing the decay in the pillars, the county brought a structural engineering firm to provide a professional opinion, and based on their advice, officials decided to close off the end of the pier for safety.

According to the county, the rest of the pier will remain open for sightseeing.