The Long Branch City Council has awarded the construction contract for a new pier, with construction expected to begin within 60 days, and completed within 12 to 18 months.
The pier will extend 550 feet from the existing boardwalk and measure 20 feet wide. Design plans include a decorative entrance arch, a T-shaped end spanning 80 feet, and a 40-foot-wide octagonal seating area at the midpoint. The structure will serve both pedestrians and anglers and is expected to become New Jersey’s first fully accessible fishing and pedestrian pier.
Planned features include accessible railings, seating areas, lighting, water access for fishing, utility tables, benches, vending machines with fishing supplies, and a small kiosk offering light refreshments.
Long Branch was once home to multiple piers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city's last remaining pier, which had stood for more than 75 years, was destroyed by a massive fire on the boardwalk in 1987.