When the City of Santa Monica announced construction on the Pier Bridge Replacement Project on December 9, 2025, the first item on its timeline was the sign. "January 2026: Pier Sign removal for rehabilitation." Nine months later the blue neon sign that reads "Santa Monica Yacht Harbor" is still up over the entrance. On September 23, city spokesperson Cecile Oreste told Patch that no removal date had been confirmed. The City's construction page still says the sign "will be temporarily removed in fall 2026."
Around it, most of the rest has moved on schedule or close to it. The main walking entrance has shifted south. A replica stands on the walkway. The PCH ramps closed this week. The sign is the last original piece of the old entrance still where it was in December, and October is very likely the last month you can see both the 1941 original and its stand-in on the same visit.
What the City Planned and What Has Happened
The December 2025 schedule was very specific. Here is how it compares with what the City says now.
| Milestone | December 2025 schedule | Status as of October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Pier sign removal | January 2026 | "Fall 2026," no confirmed date |
| Temporary vehicle and pedestrian ramps | January to April 2026 | Pedestrian bridge in use since June |
| Bridge demolition | May to August 2026 | Final and largest section starting now |
| Bridge construction | August 2026 to December 2027 | Foundation drilling underway |
| Sign reinstallation | July 2027 | "Late 2027" |
| Project completion | December 2027 | Late 2027 target |
The overall end date has hardly moved, but the sign has slipped at both ends. Removal is now about nine months later than planned, and the return has moved from July 2027 to late 2027. The City's current FAQ says the restored sign goes back up once bridge construction is complete. The sign now follows the bridge schedule. Under the old plan, its restoration ran alongside the bridge work.
Why the Sign Needs Its Own Crew
The Pan Pacific Neon Sign Company unveiled the sign on June 17, 1941. It is listed on the California Register of Historical Resources. Taking it down is a job of its own. Crews will cut power, take out and crate the neon tubing, then unbolt the top crown and lift it off by crane while temporary framing holds up the sign's cage. The pieces then go to Las Vegas. There, YESCO, a sign company founded in 1920, will restore the neon, remove rust, repaint and make structural repairs.
The stand-in went up a year ago. The City installed a half-scale, illuminated replica in October 2025. It stands on the bridge walkway just before Pier Burger, on your left as you walk out, with the Pacific Park roller coaster and the shoreline behind it. It lights up at night. Because the original sign is still up, anyone who wants a photo of each can get both on one walk this month. Once the crane comes, the original will be gone for more than a year.
The Front Door Already Moved
Since June, the main way onto the Pier on foot has been a temporary pedestrian bridge about 30 feet south of the old entrance. You can also get on in three other ways:
- Ocean Front Walk, from the sand level
- The protected path beside the temporary vehicle ramp
- The stairs near Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Bikes, skateboards and other small vehicles are not allowed on the temporary pedestrian bridge. The City sends them to Seaside Terrace. If you usually ride to Pacific Park with children on scooters, plan to lock up or walk the last stretch.
Ocean Front Walk under the bridge has short closures on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 1 p.m., scheduled as the contractor needs them. Flaggers guide pedestrians around them, and the City says these closures will continue for the rest of construction. The same morning window covers the main bridge work near Ocean and Colorado avenues. Crews there are drilling deep holes and filling them with steel and concrete to form the new bridge's foundation columns, and the City warns the work can be loud. Afternoons and weekends are not part of that window.
October's Closures Mostly Affect Drivers
On foot, the Pier works much as it has all summer. Driving there is what changes this month.
Moomat Ahiko Way ramps, from September 28, for about two months. The on- and off-ramps between Moomat Ahiko Way and Pacific Coast Highway are closed so crews can demolish the last section of the old bridge, which the City calls the largest piece removed so far, and start the new columns. If you are heading south on PCH, exit at the California Incline or stay on eastbound I-10 to Lincoln Boulevard. To reach PCH from Ocean Avenue, keep going north to the Incline. Counting two months from September 28, the ramps should reopen around late November. The City has said "approximately," so check the project page before Thanksgiving traffic.
Appian Way, Monday, October 5, through Friday, October 9. Appian Way will be fully closed under the Pier bridge so crews can install shoring. Cars can still reach the Pier from PCH during that week.
Ocean Avenue at Colorado, Monday, October 5, and Tuesday, October 6. The outside southeast lane and the bike lane will be closed from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. for signal work. At least one lane stays open, and cyclists will see detour signs.
During these closures, the City points drivers to Beach Lot 4 South, Beach Lot 3 North and Parking Structure 8. The City's December plan set aside about a third of Beach Lot 1 North, next to the Pier, as the construction staging area, leaving about 726 spaces available at Beach Lot 1. The City's construction page is updated as work moves along, so it is the place to check on the morning you go.
The Calendar Carries On
The City has said throughout that the Pier's restaurants, shops and attractions stay open during construction. October's schedule bears that out:
- Pier Play Festival, October 3 and 4. The organizer, RASA, lists it as a 21-and-over dance music event, and published start and end times differ from one listing to the next, so check RASA's event page before you go. The lineup includes ARODES, Claptone, Kaz James, LP Giobbi, MEDUZA, Mind Against, Monolink and Rinzen.
- Wellness & Waves, Saturdays from 8 to 10 a.m., through October 17. Group runs plus yoga or Pilates, and the last few sessions of the season.
- Locals' Night, Thursday, October 15. A screening of Dogtown and Z-Boys, DJ sets by 31oleo and Tony Alva, Books & Cookies story times, a classic-car meet, salsa lessons with Courtney Parsi, and live music from Cycotic Youth and Chino Espinoza Y Los Dueños Del Son.
- Día de los Muertos, October 31 and November 1. Free and family-friendly, with altars, face painting, a procession, mariachi and Ballet Folklorico. Pacific Park and Playland Arcade are among the sponsors.
Despite the name, Locals' Night is not limited to residents. The Pier's own pages describe it as free and open to everyone with a free RSVP, and they list no residency check. An optional $40 upgrade adds a Pacific Park unlimited-ride wristband and a Pier sticker pack, which the Pier values at $60. The series runs on third Thursdays. November's theme is "Swiss Art + Sound," which by that schedule falls on November 19, and December's is "Holiday Cheer on the Pier." The October screening fits the moment. Tony Alva is part of the Dogtown and Z-Boys story, and the event takes place a few hundred feet from a sign that has stood over the Pier since before that era began.
Just Up Ocean Avenue
Two new options sit a short walk north of the construction fencing. Gott's Roadside soft-opened today, October 1, at 401 Wilshire Boulevard, with a ribbon cutting on Friday, October 2. Listed hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. At the Fairmont Miramar, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, The Bungalow hosts Oktoberfest October 8 through 10 from 5 to 10 p.m. Entry is free and open to all ages, with food and drinks sold separately. If you drive in during the Appian Way closure, either one is a good place to wait out the traffic before walking down.
Main Street's Block Party and Day of the Dog runs Sunday, October 18, from noon to 6 p.m. Main Street will be closed between Pier Avenue and Pacific Street from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. That is the other side of town from the bridge work, so it adds a second closure to plan around that weekend.
When the original sign does come down, it will go to Las Vegas in crates, and the replica by Pier Burger will be the only "Santa Monica Yacht Harbor" sign at the entrance until late 2027.
For owners within walking distance of Ocean and Colorado, a two-year bridge project affects daily routines, rental plans and the timing of any future sale. Barbra Stover follows these coastal projects closely and is glad to talk through how this timeline might shape your plans. Let's Connect.
