CAPE HENLOPEN, DE– The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) announced the temporary closure of the final 145 feet of the Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier for annual structural analysis.
The yearly engineering review of the World War II-era structure includes underwater piling studies by a dive team, according to a press release.
DNREC says the pier is well beyond its life expectancy, meaning necessary repairs could be extensive, resulting in that portion of the pier’s prolonged closure.
Multiple pier repair projects have been completed over the past 15 years – including removal of a portion in 2012 and the addition of multiple pile jackets in 2021.