The Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier damaged in Hurricanes Matthew, Irma will open soon. Here's what we know.

After it sustained damage nearly six years ago, the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier will reopen to the public with its repairs this summer.

The repaired and replaced sections of the pier got closer to being completed as cranes last month removed the working pier that was built along side of the main pier for its construction.

Hurricane Matthew initially destroyed a portion of the 1,300-foot-long pier in October 2016, and a year later, Hurricane Irma did even more damage.

Since then, the beginning half of the pier has been opened for use, but it closed again in 2019 for what was expected to be two year’s worth of repairs.

Permitting delayed progress on the pier by about five months, according to Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond’s office. An additional three months were lost due to difficulty in removing underwater debris. 

More: FEMA funds help Jacksonville with Hurricane Irma debris-removal costs

Diamond, whose district includes the Beaches, said the pier is expected to be completed in late June or early July.

The price tag: How much did it cost to repair the Jacksonville Beach Fishing Pier?

The total cost of the repair is projected to be $11.6 million, which is about $40,000 more than estimated in August 2021 and about $100,000 more than the initial estimate provided at the beginning of the project.

A portion of this cost is covered by insurance payments, Diamond’s office said, and the hope is the rest will be covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Since FEMA pays through reimbursements, the Beaches won’t know how much is covered until the pier is completed and final costs are submitted.

More: 4 years after Hurricane Irma, Jacksonville-area recovery effort concludes thousands of repairs

The changes: What is new at the Jacksonville Pier?

Diamond’s office wanted beachgoers to know that most of the pier is now 8 feet higher.

When the pier was damaged, the “far east ⅓ was lost in the storm.” 

During repairs, the middle third was removed to raise the elevation and make it stronger, and it is now constructed of four 24-inch square piles per section instead of the previous three 18-inch piles.

History has shown the pier to be loved by fishermen and those wanting to stroll and look at the sights, Diamond’s office said. Therefore, it’s important to get the pier reopened and usable to the public.