Hermosa Beach outlines Pier Avenue paving, pier testing and library accessibility work ahead of spring season

City staff told the Hermosa Beach City Council on March 11 that Pier Avenue resurfacing and repairs to Parking Lot A are scheduled to begin in April with the goal of completing major paving work before the Memorial Day holiday.

Public works director Joe San Clemente said the contractor will not close Pier Avenue to traffic and will phase work to preserve two-way traffic and minimize impacts to downtown businesses. He said most pre‑paving activities — land surveying, concrete ramps and minor sidewalk repairs — could span about five weeks but will not significantly affect traffic or parking. Grinding and repaving operations on Pier Avenue are expected to take two to three days for the roadway and about a day for Parking Lot A; work will be phased to reduce parking disruption. "We expect paving work will take about a day for Parking Lot A and 2 to 3 days on Pier Avenue," San Clemente said.

San Clemente also described overnight sensor‑based structural testing planned on the pier to measure vibrations and help inform repair recommendations. The crew will work overnight from about 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. for a portion of the tests; the city said crews will be west of the pier gate behind closed gates and that visible noise impacts should be minimal.

LA County’s planned accessibility improvements at the Hermosa Beach Library were also detailed. Greg McQueen, acting assistant director of capital projects and facilities for LA County Library, told the council the county will use grant funds to modernize the public restroom, add drinking‑fountain upgrades and install automatic exterior doors; the county expects the work to take three to four months and said it will try to keep the library open throughout construction, with possible short closures for specific work.

Why it matters: The paving and pier work affect downtown access and business operations during the busy spring and summer season. Library accessibility work will alter public access for a limited time. City staff said they will continue direct outreach to businesses and residents and keep a project website updated with phasing and schedules.

Council members asked about outreach and the accuracy of the 6‑week window cited in initial letters to property owners. San Clemente said the 6‑week span described in notices covers the total series of activities but not six weeks of continuous, full‑closure work on the roadway. "We're not looking at 6 weeks of active construction on the roadway," he said, adding staff will share a detailed phasing plan after meeting with the contractor.

The city also noted that owners of outdoor dining decks will be asked to remove decks while paving proceeds; staff said it will work with affected businesses on temporary sidewalk dining alternatives at no cost during the removal period.

Provenance: topicintro: {"block_id":"block_5248.515","local_start":0,"local_end":140,"evidence_excerpt":"Good evening, mayor and council. Thank you. Sorry for the 1 minute delay. I have a few updates that I would like to share with you tonight. First to start off, CIP 6 23 are pure structural investigations as part of that ongoing work as part of CIP 6 23, our structural engineering team will be performing sensor based testing on our peer deck panels next week.","reason_code":"topicintro"}, topicfinish: {"block_id":"block_5699.65","local_start":0,"local_end":120,"evidence_excerpt":"The work will require 3 portable restrooms to be located on the south side of the facility during the work and there will be 1 space occupied for the staging of equipment and to facilitate construction. We're working in close, coordination with the county, and we'll continue to provide updates, as they are available.","reason_code":"topicfinish"}},