D Street beach staircase in Encinitas will remain closed until November

A beach access staircase in Encinitas that closed in April due to structural problems likely won’t be reopening until late fall at the earliest.

“Our contractor is mobilizing and will begin removing hardware, accepting shipments and constructing temporary shoring (up)” of the structure, Encinitas City Manager Jennifer Campbell said as she provided a project update to the City Council this week.

However, Campbell said, the best-case scenario for reopening the D Street beach staircase is now estimated to be November. And, she added, that’s provided there are “no major issues with existing timber elements” of the staircase.

City officials closed the popular beach access point in mid-April because of what were described at the time as “emergency structural concerns.” The decision was made after a group of experts, including private contractors and a city engineer, inspected the staircase.

The state’s Coastal Commission granted the proposed repair project an emergency permit in May.

The project’s estimated to cost $1 million, including engineering, construction and inspections, a city web page dedicated to the D Street project states.

Built in 1989, the staircase is considered the “the most structurally complex beach access point” in the city, the web page says. The structure contains six sections, including a concrete walkway, a timber walkway and multiple staircases. It was last renovated in 2002, the web site reports.

At Wednesday night’s council meeting, Campbell thanked the public for having patience with lengthy repair period. One bright spot, she said, is that Moonlight Beach is near the D Street beach area, so people can easily walk along the shoreline from there to reach the D Street beach area.

This isn’t the only Encinitas beach access staircase that’s expected to undergo repair work this fall. Leucadia’s Grandview staircase also is scheduled for renovation, the city’s web site notes.

For staircase project updates, go to https://www.encinitasca.gov/government/city-projects-initiatives