FAIRHOPE – Work to restore Fairhope Pier utility services knocked out by Hurricane Zeta in October should be completed soon, city officials said.
Fairhope utilities crews began work Monday, April 26, to install trays on the side of the pier to hold electrical wiring and water and sewer system pipes, Mayor Sherry Sullivan told City Council members that day.
“The pier work started today on re-establishing those utilities,” Sullivan said. “The employees worked today to put together the utility tray. I expect to see them out there tomorrow and the next couple of days. Putting the utility trays out and then start re-establishing those utilities. So, we're really excited about that.”
City officials said work was expected to take two weeks to complete.
During repairs, the work zone, located on the first half of the pier, was scheduled to be barricaded. Access to the pier could also be limited at times during repairs. A path would still be available for pedestrians during construction.
The utilities were damaged by the storm surge when Hurricane Zeta moved into Alabama on Oct. 28.
The city went out twice for bids to fix the damage, but each time the proposals exceeded $200,000. Because Baldwin County was not declared a disaster area after Hurricane Zeta, the city was not eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency funding to pay part of the cost to repair storm damage, according to earlier reports.
The city purchased a utility tray for $38,568.30. Public works and sewer service workers were directed to install the system and restore services. The tray will hold and protect the lines providing services to the pier.
