Photo courtesy of the City of Long Beach.
Approximately one quarter of the Rivo Alto canal in Naples has been closed to boat traffic while the city replaced an aging concrete seawall with a new, steel seawall. That canal was reopened to boat traffic on Saturday, the city announced Monday.
1,900 linear feet of seawall was installed in a section that stretches from the Ravenna Bridge to the eastern portion of The Toledo Bridge, according to the release. The project is phase one of a multi-phase replacement of the island’s public seawalls.
The new seawall was built in response to a 2009 engineering study that determined some portions of the old seawalls had “significant risk of ‘global’ failure due to their present deteriorated condition, if the site experiences a ‘moderate’ near-source earthquake.” The study divided the public seawalls into six phases, with the first phase addressing the area with the most severe disrepair.
The Rivo Alto and Naples Canals were constructed in the early 1900s in the delta of the San Gabriel River, which now exists as Alamitos Bay, according to the city. The existing vertical concrete seawalls were erected in the late 1930s after the Long Beach earthquake in 1933, while repairs were made in the late 1960s.
“This project will preserve Naples for generations to come,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement. “Naples is such an important part of the Long Beach community, not only for the residents, but also for the visitors who stroll the canals, the kayakers enjoying the ocean, and swimmers cooling off on a hot day. I’m proud to re-open this Long Beach gem.”
The new seawalls are made of steel sheet piles coated to prevent rust in its wet marine environment. The 47.5 foot sheet piles were driven into the ground using silent piler technology, which limits vibration and liquefaction, according to the release. The piles are capped in concrete.
“I am so pleased to announce the completion of Phase One of the Naples Seawall project,” said Councilwoman Suzie Price in a statement. “City staff and the contractor have been working diligently to deliver a high quality project. I, along with residents, have been anticipating this moment. Looking at the beautiful new seawalls, sidewalks, and landscaping, I can say it was worth the wait.”
In addition to the new seawall, improvements were made to the right-of-way along the canal. New handrails, gates and stairs were installed alongside new streetlights, reminiscent of the historic street lamps found throughout Naples. The project also boasts a new irrigation system for the parkway, new palm trees and drought tolerant shrubs.
Long Beach City Council has approved the funding for the next phase of the seawall repair, with engineering and design work slated to begin next year.
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