Ocean Beach Pier Renewal Project

After more than a year of community engagement and public input, we revealed the preferred design concept for a potential Ocean Beach Pier replacement. The concept, which was unveiled at the Ocean Beach Pier Renewal project community workshop in early April, captures the features that San Diegans expressed they would like to see in a new pier.

While incorporating iconic elements of the existing 57-year-old Ocean Beach Pier, the preferred design concept also includes aesthetic elements that offer something modern and new for future generations to enjoy. The concept showcases a pier approximately 2,000 feet long with an average deck width of 22 feet and a shape similar to the existing pier, with curving arms on the western end. It includes a network of interconnected pathways, gathering places, new retail and dining opportunities and enhanced fishing amenities, all of which were key elements according to community feedback.

During the workshop, community members participated in interactive stations to provide additional input on specific pier amenities that have not been incorporated into the design, including lighting and shade options. This input, along with feedback gathered during an online survey open through May 6, will help the design consultants finalize some of the project’s amenities. A final design concept is expected to be presented to the public later this year.

Our teams are working to acquire the proper environmental permits and funding needed to move forward with the project. The current estimated cost range is $170 million to $190 million. This range is the estimated total project cost and includes everything from the community engagement process through the end of construction. A timeline for construction will be created after the environmental permitting process and funding acquisition process are complete.

A 2018 study determined that the pier has reached the end of its service life and the Ocean Beach Pier Renewal project aims to provide a long-term solution through a potential replacement. The current Ocean Beach Pier remains closed since it was damaged by high surf in October 2023. Over the winter storm season, it suffered additional damage, including losing a pile, a portion of a pile cap and large sections of railing. We are currently assessing the damage to determine any potential options to stabilize the current structure. At this time, no final decisions have been made regarding whether or not the current pier will reopen.

If you would like to learn more about the preferred design concept, visit OBPierRenewal.com.

In January, the Botanical Building in Balboa Park was re-adorned with its most recognizable structural element: the more than 100-year-old cupola that sits atop the building. Weighing more than 2,000 pounds, the original copper cupola was refurbished and provided with brand-new redwood pillars, which serve to crown the popular attraction.

The donning of the cupola was an important milestone in the Botanical Building Improvements project, which began in January 2022 and is expected to be completed later this year. Once the building has been revitalized to its original 1915 design — updates including replaced redwood lath, reconstructed historic window arcades and accessibility improvements — Forever Balboa Park will renovate the surrounding landscape.

Since its opening in 1915 as part of the Panama-California Exposition, the Botanical Building has remained one of the City’s most esteemed pieces of architecture. To this day, it continues to be one of the largest wood lath structures in the world. When open to the public, the building receives thousands of horticulture enthusiasts throughout the year and houses hundreds of plants, including rare, tropical and indigenous fauna.

Construction crews continue to roll along with road repairs. We have completed 56 miles of resurfacing since July 2023. That’s 93% of the way to our goal of 60 miles before the end of the fiscal year in June.

Next fiscal year, there could be even more resurfacing in store. Mayor Todd Gloria’s recently proposed "Protecting Our Progress" budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025 includes more than $871 million for CIP projects, $104.6 million of which is designated for street resurfacing construction and design. That investment would increase the number of resurfacing miles to 75 miles in FY2025 and fund the design and planning needed to complete 105 miles in FY2026.

If the proposed budget is approved, we are ready to bring new life to more damaged roadways than ever before, while following the guidance of the recently released Pavement Management Plan.

Take a look at some of the recent work by clicking on the communities below:

Logan Heights • San Diego • San Carlos

Hillcrest • North Park • College Area

Rancho Bernardo • Otay Mesa • Barrio Logan

Celebrating Staff

ACEC Award

We are excited to announce that we were selected by the American Council of Engineering Companies California as the 2024 Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) Champion Award winner! QBS is a competitive procurement process for infrastructure projects that requires agencies to hire design professionals based on their qualifications and demonstrated competence. Ultimately, it creates the most safe, durable, cost-effective and sustainable projects by ensuring design, construction management and land surveying services are performed by qualified professionals.

Thank you to our staff for their exceptional dedication and commitment to the QBS procurement process and for delivering quality projects for San Diegans.

Engineers Week

In February, we celebrated Engineers Week! The celebration started back in 1951 by the National Society of Professional Engineers as a way to ensure a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

Engineers are key to growing and strengthening our communities. They play a role in almost every project, from designing parks and facilities to repairing roads. Thank you to the hundreds of City engineers working daily to improve San Diego!

Women in Construction Week

Each year, Women in Construction (WIC) Week falls on the first full week of March — Women’s History Month. And each year, we celebrate by showcasing the hardworking women who are making major infrastructure impacts across our communities in an industry traditionally made up of mostly men.

We have 238 women supporting infrastructure through their roles in E&CP. These women work behind the scenes designing projects, overseeing construction sites, performing surveys and conducting quality assurance tests to meet City standards.

To help give a voice to women in the construction field, staff from E&CP formed the Women in Field Construction (WiFC) Committee. Created in 2022, WiFC makes it easy for members to develop camaraderie among their peers, learn tools to navigate the construction industry and provides a space for women to grow in their profession.

We sat down with Karlene Akers, an Assistant Engineer – Civil in E&CP’s Construction Management and Field Engineering Division, to learn a little about her position.

Q: What are your duties as an Assistant Engineer – Civil? 

A: I work as a resident engineer (RE). My duties include inspecting construction sites for compliance with standards, processing payments and documenting daily operations. I also coordinate communication between contractors and City personnel.

Q: Talk about your personal experience in construction. 

A: Most of my projects have been emergency storm drains with a few roadway and park improvements thrown in. The work has been fun — every project has unique challenges, from having utilities with just a few inches of separation to slope reconstruction plans depending on soil type. My most recent project was next to the ocean, which had fantastic scenery but gave us a hard time with rogue waves hitting the slope. Watching large, complex equipment at work is fun, too. Boom cranes, boring machines and pipelining equipment are really cool.

Q: What’s your favorite part of your job?

A: It’s a toss-up between watching large, heavy equipment operations, enjoying nature in open spaces and researching new materials and design concepts. Most of my fun comes from observing and learning.

Q: What’s something you do at your job that you didn’t expect?

A: I didn't expect invoice checks and price negotiations from a field job. I always thought stuff like that would relate more to project management rather than field inspection. However, once I started, I realized the project manager can't verify activities performed by the contractor, so it makes sense for the RE to do it.

Q: What’s something everyone should know before going into your line of work?

A: Be sure to collect phone numbers and be ready to call people. Especially the contractor’s foreman. It will save you a lot of time. Also, be sure to talk with your fellow REs and lab personnel if you need advice, especially when it comes to materials.

Another piece of advice would be not to rely on verbal agreements for anything important and be sure to keep good records. Even if it’s a contractor you trust, people can have bad memories.

Q: What type of person excels as a field inspector?

A: It’s good to have someone proactive, level-headed and thoughtful. Part of your job involves assigning fault for errors during construction or design, so being fair also helps. 

A curious person who questions a desired design concept and construction method can also be a helpful addition since the ensuing conversation will build knowledge of the project. Someone who can listen and understand another’s perspective while supporting their thoughts and debating their points reasonably will go far in this line of work.

It’s also important to understand that you must be honest and voice concerns. Even if you’re new, you can find important missing details or catch a mistake early on. You also need to be able to put your foot down in rare emergency situations.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of your job?

A: Catching an issue early feels great – it saves everyone time and money. Sharing and obtaining knowledge with other engineers is rewarding, too, because it helps me grow professionally.

Join our team!

The City and E&CP are seeking highly skilled candidates to join our team. Currently, the City has more than 11,000 diverse and dedicated employees serving our communities. If you are interested in learning more about the available positions, check out the City's open jobs.

E&CP offers a collaborative and inclusive workplace with opportunities to contribute to our culture through employee-driven committees, a mentoring program and an extensive learning and development program. We invite you to learn more about working for E&CP by visiting our hiring page.

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