Work to install a new dock at Anacapa Island in Channel Islands National Park in California will close the island to the public for about three months beginning Tuesday.

Channel Islands Superintendent Ethan McKinley said the work will replace the deteriorating dock at Anacapa Island and improve visitor access and safety.

The new wharf will have a vertical lifting platform that will allow visitors and park staff to easily move from vessels to the landing dock. This new lift system requires widening the dock footprint by approximately six feet.

The work will be completed by JMG Constructors, LLC., located in Keyport, Washington.  The $4 million project is funded by fees collected on federal public lands. 

The new dock, designed to last 50 years, will be about two feet higher than the existing landing, with the ability to later be raised an additional three feet in the event of sea level rise. The dock replacement project will also enhance visitor experience, improve passenger and cargo operations, preserve cultural landscape characteristics, increase sustainability, and ensure the protection of marine and terrestrial environments.

To ensure the safety of park visitors, Anacapa Island will be temporarily closed to the public while construction takes place. This includes the campground and the Landing Cove.  Construction is estimated to last approximately three months. Updates can be found on the park's website.