To better meet today’s growing traffic volumes, the Port of Long Beach has begun a project to replace the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The project is a joint effort of Caltrans and the Port, with funding contributions from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

The new bridge will be built with a cable-stayed design. With 200 feet of clearance over the water, the new bridge will be high enough to accommodate the newest generation of the most efficient cargo ships. And with three lanes in each direction plus safety lanes, it will be wider and better able to serve the 68,000 vehicle trips a day and about 18 million trips a year.

The route is an important one. The Gerald Desmond Bridge has been designated as a National Highway System Intermodal Connector Route and part of the Federal Strategic Highway Network. It is a critical structure serving the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the City of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Orange counties and the nation.

Construction of the new bridge and removal of the existing bridge is expected to take five years starting in early 2013. During construction, the current bridge will remain in use for drivers and will be taken down once the new bridge is completed and open. The bridge project will generate, on average, about 3,000 jobs for the five years of building the new bridge and taking down the existing structure.

PROJECT BENEFITS:

Three lanes in each direction for improved traffic flow
Emergency lanes on both sides to reduce traffic delays and safety hazards from accidents and vehicle breakdowns
A 200-foot vertical clearance to accommodate the world’s largest, “greener” vessels
A reduction in the bridge’s steep grades, for further improvements to traffic flow
A planned bike/pedestrian path with scenic overlooks
Additional improvements include reconstruction of the Terminal Island East Interchange and the I-710/Gerald Desmond Bridge Interchange

PERFORMANCE UTILITY SUPPLY ON THE JOB

Performance Utility Supply started delivering materials to the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project in August 2013. Some of the materials include:

Various sizes on SCH40 conduit, fittings, bends, segments
Various sizes on SCH80 conduit
EMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) conduit
Fiberglass risers
Yellow poly rope, purple primer, glue, ground rods & clamps, copper wire, expandable plugs, duct spacers
Custom made 20" Full Complement Bore Spacer with 4 ea. 5" & 1ea. 2" Sch40 PVC Conduits made of 3/4" HDPE

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT

WEBSITE: www.newgdbridge.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/newgdbridge

TWITTER: @newgdbridge

YOUTUBE: LBBridgeProject

All Photos courtesy of the Port of Long Beach
Information Provided by the Port of Long Beach Fact Sheet