Piers under pressure
J.P. Luby, Ancel Brundrett piers due repairs
BY PHIL REYNOLDS SOUTH JETTY REPORTER

Making progress STAFF PHOTO BY PHIL REYNOLDS James Weimer, left, and Vaughn Artley work on the J.P. Luby Pier at Roberts Point Park. The pier is suffering from spalling and separation of the concrete deck, as seen in the foreground; workers expected to be finished with work on the pier by the end of the week.

SOUTH JETTY The Charlie's Pasture fishing pier isn't the only one in trouble in Port Aransas.

Workers also have the J.P. Luby Fishing Pier on Roberts Point closed, and will soon begin working to repair damage to the Ancel Brundrett Pier at the north end of Station Street.

While public attention was drawn to the collapse of one section of the Charlie's Pasture Pier on Wednesday, Jan. 16, after it was hit by the wake of a passing tanker, the J.P. Luby Pier was closed even earlier so workers could fix the pier's deck.

The concrete deck had started to separate from the reinforcing, a process known as "spalling," and had cracked in some areas so badly that the difference in height between adjacent sections was as much as 1½ inches, Planning and Projects Director David Parsons said.

Workmen on the pier said they expected to be finished later this week, and allow anglers back on the pier for fishing.

Once the J.P. Luby pier is finished, they'll move to the end of Port Street to begin rebuilding the Charlie's Pasture Pier, said Buck Brewer, of Massey Construction in Port Aransas. Brewer said he expected the Charlie's Pasture work to take at least two weeks.

Several people were stranded on the end of that pier on Jan. 16 when the wake of the tanker SKS Tiete washed away a part of the pier between the bulkhead and the end of the pier.

After they finish repairing the Charlie's Pasture Pier, Brewer said, workmen will move to the Ancel Brundrett Pier at the north end of Station Street, where damage similar to that on the J.P. Luby Pier needs repair. There was no estimate on how long, if at all, the Ancel Brundrett Pier might be closed or how long repairs would take.