Fairhaven's Union Wharf project moves closer to completion. Here's what's happening now.
FAIRHAVEN — The town's Union Wharf reconstruction project is moving closer to completion.
Over the years, the town-owned pier had deteriorated to the point that officials sought funding from the state’s Seaport Economic Council to address the aging pier.
The Seaport Advisory Council initially awarded Fairhaven a $2 million grant in November 2013 for repairs to Union Wharf. The grants are intended to help the economic growth of coastal communities.
Moving forward at Union Wharf
Another $1 million was approved in 2019 for west wall bulkhead replacement and improvements. Then in 2020, $1 million was allocated for repairs to the public safety marina with the addition of new aluminum gangways, two floats, fencing and security lighting. In 2022, $1 million was added for bulkhead replacement and improvements.
The east and west sides were completed first, followed by the south side, the west-north corner, the public safety side, and the contractor, Coastal Marine Construction, is now working on the north side of the pier.
Fairhaven Harbormaster Tim Cox, who is usually on site twice a day, in the morning and in the afternoon, said the project that started eight years ago is really taking shape.
“It’s going to look like a modern dock when all is said and done,” he said. “It will look nice when they turn it back over to the town.”
Drilling continues at Union Wharf
Coastal Marine contracted with a company to drill 80 to 100 feet into the bedrock on one section while Coastal installed a new sheet pile wall on one side to lock the pier in place. Steel pilings are being installed on the other side and ultimately a cap and a layer of blacktop will finish it off.
“This part they’re doing now, the drilling into the bedrock, is the hardest part because once they start drilling, each hole is different,” he said. “They don’t know what they’re going to hit as they’re drilling down.”
He said the town invested $500,000 in matching funds to get two $1 million grants for this phase of the project.
“They started this in November, and they’re hoping that by the beginning of April, they’ll be all done,” he said.
He said the project still won’t be 100 percent completed, however, because there’s still roughly 200 feet of work that needs to be done on the north side.
More funding needed for remaining work on wharf
He said the town will eventually need to apply for another grant to complete the work on the last 200 feet left down the line. He said it will cost roughly $1 million for every 100 feet, with 200 feet to go, based on current estimates because of the weight that needs to be supported.
“That’s where you get sinkholes forming, so eventually we’re going to want to finish all that, so then the whole wharf will be brand new,” he said.
Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Union Wharf project to assist marine traffic into New Bedford Harbor
