JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A section of the new Jacksonville Beach Pier washed away during Nicole, but the mayor says the pier will be open Saturday after a temporary repair.
Sections of the new pier are designed to break away during large waves, which is what happened to the pier. Jacksonville Beach Mayor Chris Hoffman and City Councilman Cory Nichols asked if anyone spots the missing section to notify the city.
Meantime, the mayor on Friday shared a photo to Facebook, saying the pier will reopen Saturday after a repair.
“Thank you to the City of Jacksonville for working quickly to get the pier to a state where it can be opened for the weekend!” Hoffman wrote Friday evening on Facebook. “Obviously not permanent but the pier will be able to be opened starting at 7am tomorrow!”
As Nicole made its way through Northeast Florida on Thursday morning, the storm brought heavy rains, strong wind gusts and sustained winds to the Jacksonville Beach area. A dune was completely blown on top of the base of the pier. The wind speed continued to increase and massive waves were churning as it got later in the morning.
Fishing from the pier resumed in July after a three-year construction project. Hurricane Matthew wiped out part of the pier in 2016, and then Hurricane Irma damaged it some more in 2017, causing the pier to close. Building it back was a $10 million project. It’s now 12 feet higher to avoid damage during future storms or storm surges.