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Photo by
Vincent
Guadazno
Harbormaster David Ditacchio affixs a sign to the closed-off end of MacMillan Pier. |
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Pier end closure is permanent
Sue
Harrison
BANNER STAFF
Town officials met Tuesday to discuss implementation plans for the permanent closing of the tee portion of MacMillan Pier as recommended by the recent engineering inspection by Faye, Spofford & Thorndike. The inspection revealed that a horizontal movement of the tee noted in a report in January 1997 had worsened to a state where stress levels exceeded all Massachusetts construction standards and rendered the pier unsafe for boats, cars or people.
Back in the beginning of '97, a report noted that the piles underneath the tee had moved outboard by a slight but obvious amount. It was recommended that the pier be inspected monthly to make sure the condition did not worsen radically. That fear was realized when engineers visited the pier last week to check the status of the piles.
On Monday, the firm called Assistant Town Manager Winn Davis and told him that due to the pier's condition, the tee should be permanently closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, no vessels can be allowed to tie up to the tee.
Because the town is already under a court order due to the pier's state, Davis said the court would be notified of the change in condition and the action being taken.
Before receiving the results of the inspection, temporary plastic barrels had curtailed traffic. Those will be replaced with a permanent, more heavy duty barricade. Signs are also going to be posted at the beginning of the pier advising there is a lack of space at the end of the pier for trucks to turn around. Other signs will be posted on the seaward side of the tee telling captains that tie-up is prohibited.
Even though temporary signs were already in place, six boats tied to the tee during the night recently. At this time of year, the Harbormaster operates will a reduced staff and there is no 24-hour coverage on the pier. When someone from that office is on duty, captains can be told not to tie up, but when no on is on duty, boats have been ignoring the signs.
Harbormaster David Ditacchio has asked for help from the town in controlling the tee. His authority only allows him to issue a $50 ticket, and that appears not to be enough to deter some captains. The police have suggested that instead of the ticket, Ditacchio summons offenders directly to court, an action that might be much more of a deterrent than a ticket.
Davis was to meet with Ditacchio and Massachusetts Development Finance Agency's Craig King (who is coordinating the pier rehab project) to discuss options for this coming season. Those options include closing the tee now and plan to demolish it in late 1999, close it now and demolish it as soon as possible so that the end can be prepared for use this summer by the Boston boat and other transients, or close the tee and take no action until late 1999.
King, who has pulled the financing plan together for the rehab that will fund most of the work through grantsm, will be looking at funding options for demolition.
Other issues related to the tee closure include future fish offloading and access to other berthing areas.
Davis will prepare a report on all the findings to Selectmen on Monday.
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Clifford wants site in Caribbean protected
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Nov 19th, 1998