ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County commissioners voted unanimously to approve a request for up to $3 million to address safety concerns at the St. Johns County Ocean Pier on Tuesday.
RELATED: End of St. Johns County pier closed indefinitely for pillar assessment
Officials identified decay in the pier’s support pillars during an inspection and the last 100 feet of the pier have been closed since Aug. 27.
County staff requested up to $3 million from Tourist Development Tax, Category Five to repair the pier and extend its life by an estimated 20 years.
The pillars are normally underwater but were exposed during beach renourishment efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Commissioner Sarah Arnold said that was a “blessing in disguise” because it also exposed the potential issues.
County officials said the exposure will also make the pier easier to work on.
The county will now begin to work with an engineering firm and secure permitting.
County officials said they also had discussions about extending or making changes to the pier to make it wider, but it ended there.