Oregon Coast Waves - 1.8

By KENNETH LIPP
Pier replacement an investment in the
future of Newport’s fishing industry
he more than 50-year-old deck of the Port Dock
5 pier has been removed from its aging creosote
pilings, and soon fisherman will once again be
able to drive their vehicles right up to the gangway
of the most active dock in the commercial marina.
Work to replace the bridge to shore for 80 commercial
vessels at the Port of Newport began at the end of January
with the installation of new steel pilings on either side of
the old posts, each driven about 48 feet below the sea floor.
The western row of pilings currently supports a temporary
walkway so fishermen and casual visitors alike can reach the
floating docks.
The pier is also the route for utilities vessels need to keep
working — fuel lines, electricity, potable and firefighting
water, and more.
Vehicle access to the dock has been restricted for many
years due to the pier’s deterioration condition. Aaron
Bretz, director of operations for the port, authored a white
paper on the pier’s condition when the port began seeking
funding to replace it several years ago.
“The Port Dock 5 Pier was built in the mid 1960s on
creosote pilings as a bridge to the floating Port Dock 5
complex,” Bretz wrote. “It underwent a renovation of the
superstructure in the early 1990s, but the pilings have
exceeded their lifespan and are failing.”
The last week of February, workers removed the old wooden
decking, detaching and removing section by section
with a crane, which lifted pieces to a waiting barge. The
deck sections were then transported to the International
Terminal for full dismantling.
and gangway float and install upgraded electrical service
with higher amperages available to vessels. The port expects
the new pier will open in May.
The improved structure will not just offer improved services
to existing vessels, which support 300 jobs, but also “set
the stage for reconfiguration and growth in the commercial
marina in the coming years,” Bretz wrote in his white paper.
The operations director noted that the port had forgone
tens of thousands of dollars in moorage fees, which might
represent dozens of jobs, because the commercial marina is
110 percent full and must turn away new moorage holders.
The improved structure will allow the port to build larger
moorage spaces when it replaces the floating docks, Bretz
wrote, accommodating new businesses.
“As fishing vessels have continually grown in size, more
and more businesses have sought to come to the Port of
Newport due to the robust support network that exists in
the maritime industry in Yaquina Bay,” Bretz wrote. “The
Port Dock 5 Pier replacement is a gateway project to the
marina of the future that has the potential to add more
businesses and jobs to the region.”
Advanced American Construction, of Portland, was
awarded the $2.1 million construction contract in January.
The full budget for the replacement is $2.4 million,
including project management and engineering, half of
which is paid through a grant from the U.S. Department of
Commerce Economic Development Administration.
Port Dock 5 is located on Newport’s Historic Bayfront
across from the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center.
The old pilings still must be removed, and workers will have
to wait about a month for fabrication before installing new
concrete decking in April. They’ll also replace the gangway
WRITTEN BY KENNETH LIPP | PHOTOS BY: JEREMY BURKE
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