ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. — September 10 isn’t a lucky day for the Anna Maria City Pier.
- Anna Maria Pier closed after Hurricane Irma due to damage
- Construction barge slammed into pier causing more damage
- Opening date of early 2020 may be delayed due to setback
The pier was forced to close after it was badly damaged during Hurricane Irma on September 10, 2017.
It was dealt another setback on September 10, 2019, when a construction barge slammed into the pier’s walkway.
“I found it to be more than a coincidence,” said Dan Murphy, mayor of the City of Anna Maria.
Crews from the Coast Guard were out at the pier on Tuesday assessing the physical damage. On Friday, divers will be taking a closer look at the structural damage to get a better idea of what may have happened underwater during the accident.
At least two pilings and a number of planks were damaged, Murphy confirmed.
Construction on a new city pier began earlier this year. The pier will also include a new restaurant and bait shop. The project is expected to cost roughly $7 million.
Murphy said the damage from Tuesday’s accident will be covered by the contractors and not tacked on the city’s bill.
"Our portion of the responsibility is to make sure when it's fixed, it's fixed right,” he said.
It’s not clear if the accident will affect the pier’s projected opening date of early 2020.