Mission Beach Boardwalk Bulkhead Project

The Mission Beach Boardwalk Bulkhead scope of work involved the removal and replacement of 1,670 linear feet of parapet wall in addition to 44,000 square feet of concrete walkway and inclusion of 4 new ADA compliant ramps to provide adequate access to the beach. The retrofitting of this project provided vast improvements to the aging infrastructure and also maintained the historical look that matched the original bulkhead that was constructed in 1925. The concrete color, scoring, texture, geometry, finish, and other features were done to match in kind the historical features of the bullhead. The project was completed in May 2016, at a total cost of $5,500,000. This project was unique in such a way that the proposed improvements were required to meet the criteria of the Historical Resources Board and had to replicate the original features from the original construction. Mission Beach is one of the top tourist attractions in San Diego, so improvements to the existing seawall and walkway were critical in order to continue with keeping San Diego as America’s Finest City. The construction work was done while maintaining the boardwalk open for people. Prior to construction, much of the existing 3 foot high parapet wall was in poor condition and some sections contained spalling and severe cracking which caused rebar to be exposed , thus creating a safety hazard for beachgoers. Since the wall had been constructed in 1925, any portions that were damaged had spot repairs, so in order to fix many of the damaged sections this project replaced the entire area. The project utilized material that is environmentally friendly. One other feature to the project was the installation of new LED lighting along the boardwalk. This provides a cost saving and energy efficient mechanism to the City and the citizens of San Diego while providing adequate lighting for those who enjoy an evening walk along the beach. This project provides access to the beach goers. Part of the improvements included also provided ramps and access to people with disabilities. Approval to perform construction along the beach was required from the California Coastal Commission. As construction started, collaboration from many parties was required in order to produce a successful product. The City’s management team did an excellent job of running the construction operations and assured that concerns/issues from all parties involved were promptly addressed, so that construction can be completed before the beach moratorium by end of May of the year. This target date was successfully met. Overall, the Mission Beach Boardwalk Bulkhead project was a great success and something that the City of San Diego and the citizens are very proud of. As of today, thousands of local residents and tourists from around the world utilize the area and are taking advantage of the new features. The end result will have a long life and use which will give San Diegans something to use for the next 100 years.