DVIDS – News – Contract awarded for lasting repairs to Cleveland West Pier

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, awarded a $6.9 million contract June 3 to Michigan-based Great Lakes Dock & Materials LLC to repair the Cleveland West Pier .

Repairs to the West Pier ensure the viability and contributions of the Port of Cleveland to the local and national transportation sector and protect the future of some of the region’s best waterfront recreational opportunities.

“The Port of Cleveland is a critical part of the Great Lakes navigation system, supporting economic growth and strategic value to the nation,” said Lt. Col. Lyle Milliman, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We look forward to completing this project on time and on budget, ensuring that Cleveland’s waterfront continues to serve the local community and the country.”

The repairs will cover 1,320 feet of the 1,430-foot pier with a new concrete covering, held in place by steel sheet piles. The work will begin at the end of the quay on the lake side and will continue towards the interior of the port.

Construction is expected to begin in late July 2024 and be completed by August 2025.

The project is 100% funded by the federal government.

The work will be carried out by marine barges along the pier and will use portions of the federal navigation channel in the Cuyahoga River. Commercial and recreational marine traffic will not be impeded, but vessels should exercise caution when navigating near the wharf.

The pier and a small portion of the east end of Wendy Park will be closed to pedestrian traffic during construction and used as a staging area for equipment and materials. Fencing and safety signs will be installed to ensure public safety.

“The Station” Sailing Center, operated by The Foundry and housed in the historic former Cleveland Coast Guard Station at the end of the pier, will temporarily move its operations to Gordon Park during construction. The station will return to the Cleveland West Pier once work is completed. Repairs to the pier will ensure long-term accessibility to this recreational and educational facility.

The Buffalo District previously repaired 110 feet of the outermost section of the pier in 1999. That portion will not require additional repairs during the current project.

The Cleveland West Pier was built between 1899 and 1901 to mark the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and is composed of wooden cribs filled with stone and covered with concrete.

The pier is part of the Port of Cleveland, a deep-draft commercial port that handled 12.4 million tons of cargo, including iron ore (58%), limestone (19%), and salt ( 9%) in 2021. Port-facilitated river transport supports $529.6 million in commercial revenue, 2,244 direct, indirect and induced jobs and $163.8 million in labor income in the transportation sector.

Photos and videos of the Cleveland West Pier are available at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/53252254738/in/album-72177720311861252/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/53709965953/in/album-72177720316676971/

The Buffalo District provides world-class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes region, the military and the nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resources management and relief emergency in times of peace and war.