Santa Cruz Wharf Set to Reopen Less Than 2 Weeks After Partial Collapse

The Santa Cruz wharf is set to reopen on Saturday, nearly two weeks after a 150-foot portion collapsed into the water amid a surge of strong waves.

Santa Cruz officials had previously suggested that the wharf could be closed for weeks or longer as they worked to figure out whether it was structurally safe. Several pieces of heavy machinery that fell into the water also posed a potential risk to the pier.

“Namely, there was a large crane, and there was a skid steer… We wanted to identify those to make sure that those didn’t become hazards in running into the wharf through future storms,” said Tony Elliot, director of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation, which oversees the wharf.

But after completing a sonar and engineering assessment, city officials said they found that the wharf was safe and that the machinery was not close enough to pose a risk.

The U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement that it also reviewed the findings, agreeing with the city’s assessment.

“The crane was located approximately 160 feet southeast of the collapsed face of the Wharf, which is a safe distance away,” said Marine Safety Specialist Response Francis Schiano. “The crane is stuck at this time and not moving around.”

The city plans to hold a reopening ceremony at the wharf on Saturday morning. The end of the wharf closest to the collapse will be closed to foot traffic, though that portion was already closed off prior to the collapse as crews worked to repair damage caused by last winter’s storms.

In the weeks ahead, crews will work to recover the sunken machinery, Elliot said. The city will also work on a broader effort to clean up the debris from the collapse, including many large structural columns called pilings.

“We lost somewhere around 300 pilings in the wharf collapse, and we know that that debris has spread throughout Santa Cruz County and perhaps beyond,” Elliot said. “We’re working very closely again with the U.S. Coast Guard, with California State Parks, Santa Cruz County, a number of stakeholders to remove that debris and get the region cleaned up from this disaster.”

Elliot also cautioned beachgoers to look out for the debris at nearby beaches and exercise caution. After the collapse, debris washed up on beaches as far as 10 miles south of the wharf.

“Some beaches and some areas remained closed and hazardous. So, on behalf of the city and the partners that we’re working with to clean up debris, we just encourage the community to stay safe. Don’t climb on the debris,” Elliot said.

Still left unanswered is whether the city plans to rebuild the section that collapsed.

The wharf is more than a century old, and city officials have publicly questioned how long it can withstand years of being battered by large waves, especially if climate change means those stronger ocean swells become more frequent.

At a press conference days after the collapse, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley said rebuilding may not be the best move.

“What we experienced in the last couple of days — this is what we need to plan for. This was not what was planned for when the wharf was built,” Keeley said. “I personally wonder how many times the federal government or any other entity is going to pay to repair and replace this very, very old technology.”

Elliot, with Parks and Recreation, said the city plans to include the community in any discussions about the future of the wharf, whether it gets rebuilt or not, but the area’s significance to Santa Cruz is undeniable.

“It’s a place that’s very important to our community, culturally and economically,” Elliot said. “It’s a place that hosts nearly 3 million visitors per year. So it’s a really important piece of the fabric of the city of Santa Cruz, and it’s a place that we want to invest in well into the future.”