November 18, 2024

WDFW to replace Elliott Bay Fishing Pier on Seattle waterfront

Image courtesy of WDFW [enlarge]

The current draft design for the replacement pier.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced plans last week to demolish and replace the Elliott Bay Fishing Pier to restore public fishing access on the Seattle waterfront.

The pier, which WDFW manages, is located adjacent to the Port of Seattle's Centennial Park and Elliott Bay Trail, north of the Pier 86 grain terminal. It was built in 1980 and has been closed since 2016 after structural engineers deemed the pier unsafe and in need of full replacement.

To minimize environmental impacts, WDFW is proposing to build a replacement pier within the footprint of the existing structure. The original pier is 7,500 square feet and includes five covered seating areas and two fish cleaning stations.

Department staff have been working on a draft design for the new pier with engineering firm Reid Middleton and incorporating feedback from organizations including the Port of Seattle. Reid Middleton previously assisted WDFW with the feasibility report and conditions assessment that concluded the current pier was significantly deteriorated and unsafe for public use.

The design team for the replacement project also includes landscape architect J.A. Brennan Associates.

Photo via Reid Middleton [enlarge]

The existing pier is 7,500 square feet. It has been shut since 2016 for safety reasons.

WDFW recently unveiled the draft design. Current planned amenities include benches and shore power electrical outlets for squid fishing lights.

The department is now seeking public feedback on the draft design. Feedback will be accepted through Dec. 15. More information on the project and how to provide feedback is at https://tinyurl.com/EBfishingpier

WDFW will also host a public webinar on the project with opportunity to ask questions and provide comments from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5. Pre-registration is required and available at the above website.

The planned pier replacement coincides with the Elliott Bay Connections (EBC) project, which will build a new three-quarter-mile multi-use greenway on the east side of Alaskan Way stretching from the forthcoming Waterfront Park to the Olympic Sculpture Park. The EBC project scope also includes a host of improvements at Centennial and Myrtle Edwards parks. Upgrades at Centennial Park will include a new public restroom and concessions building. EBC is due to break ground in February. The work at Centennial Park is slated to begin this coming spring.

While the EBC and WDFW pier replacement projects are completely separate, the EBC team has provided input on the draft design for the replacement Elliott Bay Fishing Pier.

To make way for the new pier, WDFW crews last week began demolishing and removing benches, shelters and other furnishings from the current pier. That work started Nov. 12 and is scheduled through Nov. 21.

The next steps for the project are as follows: Following the public input period on the draft design and ongoing outreach with tribes and local partners, WDFW will seek to incorporate changes, where feasible. An updated design is expected to undergo additional State Environmental Policy Act and other tribal, local, state, and federal review as well as additional public input in 2025. A final design for the new pier is scheduled for late 2025.

The ongoing project to design the new Elliott Bay Fishing Pier is funded in part by a $1.7 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

Construction of the replacement pier is dependent on further funding.

WDFW says it is requesting $15 million from the state Legislature during the 2025-2027 biennium to support construction as part of the department's Capital Budget request.