Juno Beach Kept Its Free Parking. The King Tides Took Three Walkovers and the Pier's T.

On October 27, people came out to Juno Beach to watch the waves hit the pier. One visitor told CBS12 she had come down after hearing the whole thing was gone. It wasn't gone. The pier was still standing, but aerial video showed gaps where deck panels had popped out. Loggerhead Marinelife Center, which manages the pier, closed it until further notice because of the offshore surge and high surf.

The surf came about six weeks after a different decision about the same shoreline. In September, Palm Beach County dropped the parking fees it had proposed for Juno Beach Park and Loggerhead Park. Getting to the beach stayed free and easy. The October king tides then made the last few hundred feet harder: the stairs over the dunes and the planks out over the water. That is the situation heading into the winter season.

The Surf Hit a Pier That Was Already Being Rebuilt

The county had already started replacing the pier's deck before October. On March 3, 2026, Palm Beach County approved a work order of up to $1,278,332.50 with Wynn & Sons Environmental Construction Company, LLC. The job is to remove the old deck panels, railings, rail posts, supporting runners and fasteners along all 990 feet of the pier, then install new decking and railing. The estimate lists Southern Yellow Pine lumber, and the money comes from Parks and Recreation capital funds.

The county paperwork and the pier's operator gave different schedules:

The work was phased to avoid closing the whole pier whenever possible. An earlier CBS12 report said no more than 10 percent of the deck would be closed at any one time. Loggerhead's update dated September 29 said new panels were being built offsite. Work on the pier was scheduled to resume Monday, October 5, between the pier house and the first shade structure. Three weeks later, the king tides arrived.

Loggerhead explains why the project started at all. Routine inspections found the pier needed upgrades, and doing them now keeps it safe and open for years to come. The October surf hit a pier that was partway through that work.

What You Can Walk Out On Now

The October 27 full closure has since been eased. As of Loggerhead's pier page posted November 2, the Juno Beach Pier has reopened with a partial closure. The "T" section at the end is closed for assessment and repair after the recent high surf. Most of the 990 feet is open, but the T at the far end is not.

Hours and fees listed on the pier page:

• Hours: sunrise to sunset
• Spectators: $2 a day, free for veterans
• Fishing: $5 a day, $3 for anglers 12 and under, $3 for veterans
• Licensing: the pier holds a fishing license that covers anglers, so you don't need your own to fish from it

The Pier House has a snack bar, a gift store, and fishing tackle, including rental poles and bait. The entrance is still at Juno Beach Park, 14775 U.S. Highway 1. Loggerhead posts the coming week's construction areas on its pier page, so check it before you go if you want to know which sections will be fenced off.

Three Walkovers Are Still Closed

The pier was not the only beach access point damaged in the same storm. On Monday, October 26, the Town of Juno Beach closed four of its numbered beach walkovers: JB-2, JB-3, JB-4 and JB-6. CBS12 reported that the stairs at JB-3 were severely damaged, and that officials cited erosion and other hazards at JB-4 and JB-6. Two days later, the town's October 28 update said all four would stay closed until further notice.

The town's November 3 update reopened one of them:

The town did not soften the warning. It said in capital letters that people must stay off the closed access points because "THE STAIRS ARE STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE." Town crews are removing debris and deciding what needs to be done to rebuild the closed walkovers. Until they reopen, use JB-2 or another open access point to reach the sand. The town posts these status updates in its Alert Center. If you think a private dune walkway, deck or seawall was damaged, the town asks owners to contact its Building Department through Town Hall at 561-626-1122.

The Parking Fee That Was Dropped

Before October, the shoreline change everyone expected was a parking fee. In early July, Stet News reported that the county was considering paid parking at 12 beachfront parks. Juno Beach Park and Loggerhead Park were both on the list. Residents objected loudly. Commissioner Maria Marino said she had received more than 2,000 emails from county residents opposed to paying $3.20 an hour to park at beaches from Gulf Stream to Tequesta.

By July 15, the plan had changed. County residents would get free annual passes, nonresidents would pay $4 an hour, and fees would start October 1. Juno Beach and Loggerhead parks were still on the list. Stet also reported that street parking along State Road A1A near the parks would stay free.

That plan never took effect. On September 15, Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo told WFLX that "the new beach parking fees for the 12 additional County parks were removed from the FY27 County budget prior to the Sept. 3 budget hearing." She also confirmed that, for the coming fiscal year, the county is no longer considering charging residents or out-of-county visitors to park at those locations. The county's budget package for the September 3 hearing included the amendment removing the proposed fees.

The county's park listings describe Juno Beach Park as a beach park with parking and the 990-foot pier. Loggerhead Park is listed as a beach park with parking and Loggerhead Marinelife Center onsite. Admission to the Center itself is free. So a morning on the pier costs $2 to walk out or $5 to fish, and nothing to park. The difference this season is how far out you can walk and which stairs will take you down to the sand.

Two December Evenings at Town Center

Two town events at Town Center are on the calendar for December:

1. Christmas by the Lake, Friday, December 4, 5 to 7 p.m., in the Town Center Backyard Area
2. Hanukkah Celebration, Thursday, December 10, 5 to 7 p.m., in the Town Center Courtyard

Both are listed on the Town of Juno Beach calendar. For the walkovers, check the town's Alert Center. For the T section, check Loggerhead's pier page.

If you own on the beach side of A1A or near the pier and want to know how this season's changes to beach access might affect your home's value, Matt & Kate Shaw are happy to walk through it with you. Request your free home valuation.