Naples Pier debris staging at Jolley Bridge gets final nod

City of Naples finalized an agreement with Collier County to use land beneath the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge on Marco Island as a temporary staging and inspection site for debris from the Naples Pier demolition. 

City Council unanimously approved the interlocal agreement Nov. 19, allowing use of county-owned property on the east side of Collier Boulevard near the base of the bridge. County commissioners approved the plan Oct. 14. Naples evaluated other sites, but none were suitable and would have added significant costs. 

Naples Pier suffered catastrophic damage during Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022, leaving only 100 feet of the structure standing before it reopened that November. The city has since engineered and designed a stronger, higher and more resilient $26.3 million pier — the seventh rebuild of the 137-year-old landmark at the west end of 12th Avenue South. 

Demolition is expected to take nine months, followed by roughly 18 months of construction. 

The city received permitting from the Army Corps of Engineers but still needs Federal Emergency Management Agency approvals to proceed. Two major components of the project require the Jolley Bridge site. 

According to the agreement, contractor Shoreline Foundation must transport concrete demolition debris to the site for inspection by the Army Corps before the material can be loaded onto barges and taken to approved artificial reefs. The inspections are required before any debris is reused offshore. 

The contractor also must use the property to transfer 100-foot-long concrete pilings from trucks to barges, as the city has no suitable alternative. The site may additionally serve as a staging area for the trestle before it is transported for installation at the pier. 

The agreement anticipates debris arriving up to three weekdays per week, with no deliveries on weekends or holidays. Up to three truckloads per day may occur. 

Florida Department of Transportation has tentatively approved a turnaround with a temporary traffic stop north of the Jolley Bridge site that will prevent the pilings from being transported through Marco Island. 

The city must install temporary fencing and screening around the property, maintain a clean site and restore it to its current or better condition once work concludes. 

This agreement follows an earlier interlocal arrangement that allows city contractors to use eight boat-trailer spaces at Bayview Park on Danford Street. Dump trucks will access a portion of the docks twice weekly from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for four to six months to unload debris from barges. No weekend or holiday work will occur unless the city and county manager agree. The boat ramp will remain open to the public, and any barge will be moored at the park no more than two days a week. 

Debris from both above and below the pier will be dried, offloaded, sorted and hauled from Bayview Park. 

Funding for the project includes about $12.66 million in federal support, including FEMA reimbursements, as well as state grants, $11 million in bonds, $2 million in county tourist-development taxes, the city’s beach fund and community donations, including contributions from the Collier Community Foundation. 

The project team includes Turrell, Hall & Associates Inc., MHK Architecture, City Engineer Dan Ohrenstein and Project Manager Bruce Selfon, a former federal employee brought on to assist with permitting and regulatory work. 

To donate toward rebuilding Naples Pier, click here.