New Long Beach Bridge Scheduled to Open Oct. 5

Officials announced Sept. 24, that the state-of-the-art new bridge at the Port of Long Beach is nearing completion and on course to open to traffic Oct. 5. The six-lane, cable-stayed bridge will provide a major new regional highway connector as well as improve cargo movement at one of the world’s largest port complexes.

“This new bridge is an incredible icon that will connect Long Beach to the world,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We will continue to build infrastructure and drive economic growth across the country.”

The new bridge will replace the shorter, narrower Gerald Desmond Bridge, which carries 15 % percent of all containerized goods coming into the U.S. 

The new bridge will provide a higher passage for cargo ships, extra traffic lanes for trucks and cars, emergency lanes, greater resiliency in an earthquake and a 100-year minimum lifespan. With the twin 50-story-high towers connecting 80 cables to the center span, the new bridge will be one of the tallest cable-stayed bridges in the United States and the first of its kind in California. The new bridge will also include a pedestrian-bicycle path and will be illuminated with dozens of LED lights that change colors.

The bridge project began in 2013 with a major undertaking to clear the path for the new structure. Shortly after the design-build project got underway, state engineers were able to secure additional improvements to the original bridge design to further enhance the bridge’s resistance to a potential future large earthquake. The $1.47 billion bridge project also includes the eventual demolition of the existing Gerald Desmond Bridge that sits just a few feet from the new bridge.

Opening of the new bridge will require an Oct. 2 through 4 weekend traffic closure in the vicinity in order to switch over lanes to connect both ends of the nearly 2-mile-long structure to existing roadways that reach the 710 Freeway, downtown Long Beach and Terminal Island. Barring any unforeseen construction-related complications, motorists should be able to access the new bridge by the morning of Oct. 5. Final details for motorists will be announced soon, and the public is encouraged to monitor the project’s website for the latest details at www.newgdbridge.com.

Officials today also announced there will be a virtual opening ceremony to be telecast over YouTube and other social media channels, and available at www.newgdbridge.com and www.polb.com Friday, Oct. 2. Due to coronavirus restrictions, there will not be a ceremony open to public attendance.

The new bridge is a joint effort of Caltrans and the Port of Long Beach, with additional funding support from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

Video and photos of the bridge construction progress can be found at the bridge website, www.newgdbridge.com.