Berkeley uncertain how long fishing pier will remain closed

BERKELEY, Calif. (KTVU) -- The Historic Berkeley Municipal Fishing Pier is now closed for the foreseeable after structural engineers deemed it unsafe.

They found corroded Rebar and crumbling concrete underneath the pier, which is about the length of ten football fields.

Earlier this month, the pier was closed to cars and trucks after an inspection prior to the Fourth of July celebration. The city has no idea when the 89-year-old pier will be safe enough to reopen.

The closure came as a disappointment for one father and his three sons who drove to Berkeley from Stockton to fish for halibut and stripers. They didn't know the pier was closed.

"My boys have been YouTubing Berkeley Pier for days. And we decided to come. And can't get out," said Tim Gaea.

Aya DeLeon now has to walk past the fenced off pier. For years it's been part of her daily hike.

She said it was good place to stroll and a great place to people watch.

"Families, little kids, older folks. People on romantic dates. People arguing," she said with a laugh.

The loss of the pier is turning into a loss of business for the Eat and Run food truck, a staple near the pier entrance for decades.

On a typical day, the truck sells 40 hot dogs. Yesterday, it sold only seven.

"Nobody walking. Nobody fishing. Too slow," said truck operator Raoul Yehya.

Yehya said he may have to move to another location if business doesn’t improve.

"It's a loss. But hopefully they'll figure it out," said DeLeon,

The city says it will have to determine out how much it will cost to make the pier safe, and then find a way to come up with the money.