CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Demolition work has begun on Bob Hall Pier, which was destroyed by Hurricane Hanna back in 2020.
"We'll have a couple cranes out here eventually and we'll start removing the major sections of the concrete in about a month," said Marshall Davidson.
Davidson runs J-M Davidson Construction, the company awarded the contract to demolish the pier. He said that since the demolition process is taking place during hurricane season, an action plan is in place to evacuate workers and machinery in case of another storm.
Meanwhile, Davidson said workers will be removing piers in two ways.
"One method is to use a jet pipe, where we use compressed air and high pressure water to remove the sand away from the piling to pull it out," Davidson said. " And the other method is to use a shear. A hydraulic piece of equipment that will chop the pile in half."
For the next few months, residents will be able to come out to the beach and see bits and pieces of the Bob Hall Pier being dismantled.
Scott Cross, Director of Coastal Parks for Nueces County, said residents will be surprised by some of the new improvements.
"We'll have another sky bridge, so to speak, the public element that will bridge over the beach and come down between the cut out and the dune," Cross said. "It will come down back there in the old parking lot."
Cross said much of the $2.6 million for demolition and money to rebuild the pier is part of federal grants.
Besides the sky bridge, people will notice the pier is three feet taller, and the pier itself will be 20 feet wide.
Davidson said he is also making sure the debris will be used for a reef project.
"We're going to take about 90-percent of the concrete that's recovered from this project, load it up on a barge. Work with Texas Parks and Wildlife. Push it out to the reef location and install it out there for a fishing reef," Davidson said.
Cross said they may be ready to start construction in 18 months.
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