Gulf State Park Pier Repairs Hit Milstone

The reconstruction of the Gulf State Park Pier recently reached a milestone when the walkway to the octagon on the end was partially completed, according to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Missing pilings and decking components have been replaced all the way to the octagon, which will allow construction workers much easier access to the entire 1,544-ft pier. To lay the groundwork for replacing the pilings, the initial work at the pier was removing the pilings from a 200-ft section that succumbed to the crashing waves of Hurricane Sally in 2020 and fell into the Gulf. MD Thomas Construction, which had completed the $2.4-million renovation to the pier just prior to Sally’s damage, was awarded the $13.6-million repair contract. Current plans are to restore the octagon, which was extremely popular, to its pre-Sally condition. That includes restoring the 50- by 24-ft observation deck at the octagon, which will allow visitors and sightseers to observe fishing activity and experience the educational component of the pier from a new vantage point. An Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-certified lift will be on one side of the observation deck, with stairs on the opposite side.