Gerald Desmond Bridge Officially Retired

The Gerald Desmond Bridge, a critical transportation corridor that served the Port of Long Beach for more than 50 years, was officially retired in a special ceremony with Desmond family members in attendance May 7.

Opened in 1968, the Gerald Desmond Bridge was named after a former Long Beach city attorney and city councilman who helped secure funding to build the 5,134-foot-long through-arch bridge that connected Long Beach and Terminal Island. Desmond died when the bridge that would be eventually named for him was under construction.

The Gerald Desmond Bridge was decommissioned when its replacement opened to traffic in October 2020. An outlook on the new bridge will be named in Desmond’s honor.

Removal of the Gerald Desmond Bridge’s main span was previously rescheduled to another day, but the retirement ceremony was held as originally planned.

“The Gerald Desmond Bridge has been a landmark of our city and an important part of our region’s infrastructure for over 50 years,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We have come an incredible way since it opened in 1968 and it’s played an important role in the growth of Long Beach and success of the port.”