When did you last walk onto the Santa Monica Pier through its real front door? If it was this summer or since, probably not. On Friday, June 5, the city finished a temporary pedestrian bridge about 30 feet south of the original entrance, next to The Lobster. It is the Pier's main public entrance until construction ends. With it in place, the city planned to close the old Ocean Avenue entrance and prepare the bridge built in 1939 for demolition, which was expected to begin in mid-June.
So this fall's Pier is a rerouted Pier, and this fall is when the project starts shifting from tearing down to building. The scheduling detail that matters most is simple. Bridge work happens on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m. Nearly every community event on the fall calendar falls outside those hours.
The New Way In
The temporary bridge was designed to be more than a detour. The city added colorful artwork, wayfinding signs and spotlights on Pier businesses for the walk across. It isn't the only way in, though. Here is how each kind of trip reaches the deck now:
- On foot from Ocean Avenue: the temporary pedestrian bridge beside The Lobster.
- On foot from the beach: Ocean Front Walk, or the stairs near Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
- From the parking lot: a protected walkway runs along the temporary vehicle ramp in Beach Parking Lot 1 North.
- By bike, skateboard or other small vehicle: these aren't allowed on the temporary pedestrian bridge. Riders are directed to Seaside Terrace.
The Seaside Terrace rule matters most to anyone who rides down from Ocean Park or the north end of town. A bike route that used to be second nature now takes a different turn at the top.
The Sign Is the Last Piece of the Old Entrance
The entrance has moved, but its landmark hasn't. The blue "Santa Monica Yacht Harbor" neon sign has marked the way onto the Pier since 1941. As of September 24, it was still hanging above the entrance. The city's original schedule had removal starting in January 2026. Nine months later, city spokesperson Cecile Oreste told Patch that no removal date had been confirmed. She said the project involves many partners and agencies, and that the city was still working out public and media access for the day the sign comes down.
The city's construction page still lists fall 2026 as the removal window. YESCO, a sign company working since 1920, will lead the restoration. The sign was first lit on June 17, 1941, by the Pan Pacific Neon Sign Company and is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources. Removal will go in steps. Crews will cut the power, take out the neon tubing and crate it, then unbolt the top crown and lift it free while temporary framing holds the sign cage. According to the city, the pieces will go by separate flatbed trucks to YESCO in Las Vegas for neon, rust, paint and structural work.
For photos, a half-scale illuminated replica already stands on the bridge walkway just before Pier Burger. The Pacific Park roller coaster and the shoreline sit behind it. The restored original is set to go back above the new bridge when construction finishes in late 2027. Until a date is announced, every visit this fall could be one of the last with the 1941 sign in its usual place, or the sign could still be up at Thanksgiving.
October Is When the Project Changes Phases
The city's milestone schedule splits the work into stages. Demolition was scheduled for June through September 2026. Construction of the new bridge runs October 2026 through August 2027, and the whole project is expected to wrap up in December 2027. The city notes these dates can change. The contract is $35.5 million. The Federal Highway Bridge Program is expected to pay about $30.2 million of it, roughly 75% of the project cost. The finished bridge will meet current seismic standards and have a 15-foot sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists.
The demolition is running past that window, and the overlap explains the cluster of closures right now. The Moomat Ahiko Way on- and off-ramps to Pacific Coast Highway closed on Monday, September 28, for about two months. That puts the reopening around late November. The city calls this the largest section of the old bridge demolished since the project began. Crews are also using the closed ramps to stage equipment for the new columns. Southbound PCH drivers are sent to the California Incline exit or onto eastbound I-10 to Lincoln Boulevard. Drivers heading from Ocean Avenue to PCH should continue north to the California Incline.
Underneath the bridge, crews are drilling deep foundation holes. They start at the base of the Pier and work toward Ocean Avenue, then fill each hole with rebar and concrete to form a column. The city warns this stage can be loud.
The city's posted schedule for this stretch:
| Dates | What's affected | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 28, for about two months | Moomat Ahiko Way ramps | Full closure, with detours via PCH, the California Incline and Ocean Avenue |
| Mon., Oct. 5 to Fri., Oct. 9 | Appian Way under the Pier bridge | Full closure for shoring installation |
| Mon., Oct. 5 and Tues., Oct. 6 | Ocean Avenue at Colorado Avenue | Outside southeast lane and bike lane closed 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a cyclist detour |
| Ongoing weekdays | Ocean Front Walk under the bridge | Short closures 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., with flaggers redirecting pedestrians |
During the Appian Way closure, drivers can still reach the Pier from PCH. The city recommends Beach Lot 4 South, Beach Lot 3 North and Parking Structure 8. Every notice so far has said the same thing. The Pier stays open throughout, including its restaurants, shops and attractions.
The Calendar Starts After the Crews Leave
Line the work hours up against the Pier's fall programming and they barely touch. Crews work weekday mornings. The community events fall on Thursday evenings and on one weekend.
Thursday, October 15: Locals' Night for Dogtown's 50th
Locals' Night is the Pier's free community night on the third Thursday of each month from September through May. It usually brings local DJs, live music, art, kids' activities and a classic car show. October's edition marks 50 years of Dogtown, the local surfers who took their style from the waves to the streets. The centerpiece is a drive-in screening of Dogtown and Z-Boys, a few blocks from where the story began. The lineup also includes:
- Vinyl DJ sets by original Z-Boy Tony Alva and 31oleo
- Live music from Cycotic Youth
- A skate ramp
- Chino Espinoza Y Los Dueños Del Son, plus salsa lessons with Courtney Parsi
- Books & Cookies musical story time, local vendors and a classic car meet
For $40, attendees can add a Pacific Park unlimited ride wristband and a Pier sticker pack, listed at a $60 retail value. Pacific Park's October calendar lists ride hours that day as noon to 7 p.m. The organizers ask people to stay through the end of the screening. The next Locals' Night falls on November 19.
Thursday, October 29: A Talk Through Pier History
On the last Thursday of each month, from 6 to 7 p.m., the Pier hosts a free hour of untold stories and memorable moments from its past, followed by Q&A. In a season when the bridge is being replaced and the sign is waiting to come down, the history talk has a lot of fresh material.
October 31 and November 1: Día de los Muertos
The seventh annual Día de los Muertos celebration fills the historic Merry-Go-Round building. On Saturday, October 31, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., visitors can view the ofrendas and add to them. Sunday, November 1, runs from noon to 5:30 p.m. The day opens with ofrenda altars and face painting at noon, followed by a traditional Aztec blessing at the West End at 1 p.m. Santa Monica Ballet Folklorico performs at 2 p.m., with mariachi and Ballet Folklorico at 3 p.m. Ambassador Carlos González Gutiérrez, Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, speaks at 4 p.m., and the band Brotherhood plays the outdoor stage at 4:15 p.m.
Artist and producer Sylvia Sanchez, who has built altars at Hollywood Forever Cemetery for years, brought her installations to the Pier in 2021. She designs them around people with a special connection to the Pier and to Santa Monica. Renay Regalado Garcia, Celina Jacques, Fernando Escobar and Christine Lopez are contributing to this year's community ofrenda. Anyone can add a photo of a loved one to the shared altar. Organizers suggest bringing copies instead of originals, and frames aren't provided. The 100-year-old carousel will be decorated with marigolds and papel picado.
Food at Both Ends of the Walk
Pacific Park is celebrating its 30th year. The park first opened on May 26, 1996, and is marking the anniversary with a "Sp30tlights" history series. It also added two food spots this year, La Monica Pizza & Bar and Sweet Rose Creamery.
At the top of the walk, Gott's Roadside announced on October 1 that its Santa Monica location at 401 Wilshire Boulevard was officially open. It's the brand's first coastal location, with a 6,600-square-foot dining room and a 2,200-square-foot patio between the Pier and Third Street Promenade. A Thursday-night plan could start with dinner on Wilshire, continue down Ocean Avenue to the temporary bridge beside The Lobster, and end with a photo at the half-scale sign before Pier Burger. All of it happens during hours when the drilling has stopped.
Pier construction is changing how people reach one of Santa Monica's best-known places, and buyers notice those details on a walk-through. If you're thinking about selling a home near Ocean Avenue, Ocean Park or the north end of town, The Kohl Team can explain how the neighborhood reads to buyers right now and present your home to match. Request your complimentary home valuation, and we'll start with a conversation about your block.