Construction Updates
Gerald Desmond Project Website

LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 8, 2014) – The Pico Avenue exit from the southbound I-710 Freeway will close overnight between April 16 - 25 to allow for widening of the off-ramp. Widening of the Pico Avenue off-ramp is needed because southbound Pico Avenue in this area will serve as a primary detour route for a long-term closure of the connector that carries vehicles from the southbound I-710 Freeway to points west across the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The long-term closure is expected on May 10, 2014.

Nightly closures of the Pico Avenue exit from southbound I-710 Freeway will take place 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 16 and Thursday, April 17. The ramp will open by 7 a.m. the following morning. The closure will repeat Wednesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 24. The ramp will open by 7 a.m. the following morning. *Please note that closure date and times are subject to change. The detour route is southbound I-710 to westbound Harbor Scenic Drive to Harbor Plaza, and then right to Pico Avenue. Due to the Anaheim Street Improvement Project, the detour route for Anaheim Street to 9th Street is not available.

The southbound I-710 Freeway connector that carries truckers and motorists to Terminal Island and points beyond is scheduled to permanently close in late spring so it can be demolished as part of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project. When the connector closes, southbound traffic will be briefly diverted from the I-710 Freeway onto southbound Pico Avenue, then to an on-ramp that rejoins westbound Ocean Boulevard to cross the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Other improvements occurring this month and next include restriping southbound Pico Avenue to three lanes, installing a traffic signal at the intersection of Pier D Street and Pico Avenue, and constructing a temporary two-lane on-ramp to westbound Ocean Boulevard. For maps and other information about detour routes, please visit the bridge website at www.newgdbridge.com.

The public is encouraged to sign up at newgdbridge.com for weekly traffic alerts provided by the Port of Long Beach. The alerts will inform motorists about upcoming construction-related detours, as well as share construction updates, news, photos and videos. The public also is encouraged to download the bridge app to their mobile phone. The mobile app offers all the latest news, information, photos and videos of the project, live cameras, and traffic information to help Long Beach area motorists navigate lane closures and detours associated with the bridge and nearby construction projects. To install the app, search “LB Bridge” in the App Store, Google Play and Windows.

The $1.2 billion Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project will construct a majestic bridge spanning the Port of Long Beach. The new bridge, with a deck rising 205 feet above water, will be a new icon for the Southern California coastline, replacing a bridge that has reached its lifespan. The sleek, cable-stayed bridge will include additional traffic lanes, a higher clearance to accommodate the new generation of cargo ships, and a dedicated bicycle path and pedestrian walkway, including scenic overlooks. The design-build project is expected to generate about 3,000 jobs. With two towers reaching 515 feet into the sky, this will be the second-tallest cable-stayed bridge in the United States.

This project is a joint effort of the California Department of Transportation and the Port of Long Beach with funding also from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.  A joint venture team of Shimmick Construction Co. Inc., FCC Construction S.A. and Impregilo S.p.A. (SFI) is the prime contractor for the design and construction of the replacement bridge.