Demolition under way at fishing pier

Piece by piece, a crane removed sections of the crumbling fishing pier at Cape Henlopen State Park Sept. 10 as work to remove the dilapidated structure continued.

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara recently ordered the demolition and removal of the outermost T-head section as an immediate safety measure. The structure had begun to collapse, and debris from it was seen as posing navigational and environmental hazards.

“As larger and larger pieces break off, they could present significant hazards to navigation, and potentially to seaside facilities like the Lewes Ferry Terminal,” O’Mara said, noting that creosote-treated timbers breaking away from the pier could pose environmental concerns. “For these reasons, our experts believe that it is absolutely critical to remove the structure before the fall storm season arrives.”

The T-head section of the pier, which has been closed to the public since 2006, recently was found to be rapidly deteriorating as a result of prolonged storm and wave damage, prompting the emergency measures, O’Mara said. Demolition and removal will be confined to the T-head, or outer span, at the end of the 1,800-foot-long pier on the Delaware Bay.

The all-wooden pier was built during World War II by the U.S. Army as a mining wharf. Several rehabilitative efforts have been undertaken since 2007 to the pilings beneath the section that remains open for public use.
There will be no additional closure of the fishing pier during demolition activity.

An adjacent bait-and-tackle shop, parking lot for pier-goers and public restrooms will remain open during the demolition project. Meanwhile, fishermen, boaters and kayakers are cautioned to stay clear of the deteriorated sections per a notice to mariners posted by the U.S. Coast Guard.