California transportation officials called for closing the heavily traveled, mile-long Vincent Thomas Bridge for 16 months to replace the span’s road deck, accoding to the projects final environmental document, which was released this week.
The full closure proposal was among several options the California Department of Transportation rolled out for residents when the project was first announced more than a year ago. Caltrans will host open houses prior to construction, which is now expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker said he was “pleased” with the single-stage construction schedule — one that he’d recommended — to avoid a “drawn-out disruption.” This option, he added in written comments, provides for an “expedited schedule that (completes) the work sooner.”
“I want to see Caltrans ‘rip off the Band-Aid’ and complete the project as quickly as possible,” he added. “The sooner this ends for our communities, the better it will be for everyone.”
Other plan options that were rolled out called for some partial lane openings during construction, which would have provided for some traffic flow use but would have also drawn out the project for a longer period.
While the full closure to complete the project faster appeared to draw the most support, both McOsker and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn expressed ongoing concerns this week about detour plans and adjacent road conditions — which will see more truck and commuter trips during the project.
The bridge is used by port-related traffic, including trucks transporting cargo in and out of the busy shipping gateway. Longshore workers also depend on the connection to port terminals in San Pedro, on Terminal Island and at the Port of Long Beach.
“While I have heard from Caltrans workers that a full closure is safer for them to do their work,” Hahn said in a written response, “without a good detour plan, I worry about traffic being rerouted through the Wilmington community. Caltrans needs to address that.”
McOsker also expressed concerns about traffic, though Caltrans had previously indicated that fixing nearby road conditions is not within the agency’s jurisdiction.
“I will use the coming days and weeks to advocate for accountability and concrete commitments,” McOsker said.
McOsker and the Port of Los Angeles pushed for the shortest timeframe possible, with the councilmember initially requesting that the 16-month option be cut to 12 months by providing more workers.
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“Any delay in the completion of the project will certainly cause additional and unnecessary economic and potential security risks,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said in an August letter to Caltrans.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, he also said, handle about 35% of all containers moving through all ports nationwide.
The bridge, Seroka said in the earlier letter, “is crucial for not only the movement of freight serving the region (and) state, but also non-port regional traffic.”
The 1963 emerald green bridge, a local landmark seen often in movies and TV shows, is a primary route for commuters and residents traveling between San Pedro and Long Beach.
When the project was announced in early 2023, it sparked a flurry of public comments on social media and at a virtual public meeting that drew some 100 viewers armed with both complaints and questions. Many were stunned by the announcement.
The bridge itself is sound, Caltrans said, but the roadbed, which has been repaired several times over the years, has been so severely impacted by traffic, salt air and heavy use that it must be completely replaced.
Closing such a main Harbor Area thoroughfare, however, has posed a long list of questions and debates over the impacts on the nearby neighborhoods and the region.
The project, McOsker wrote in his most recent statement, on Tuesday, Oct. 29, “is certain to be a major disruption for those who live and work throughout the Harbor Area. I have previously described this project as a ‘Harborgeddon’ that will affect residents, workers, businesses and the international supply chain reliant on seamless operations within the San Pedro Bay complex.”
And upon reviewing the final Caltrans document, he added, “this remains true.”
Among regional pressures weighing on the project are the upcoming impacts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include matches in Los Angeles, and the 2028 Olympic Games coming to L.A., which will include several events scheduled in neighboring Long Beach.
Other work, meanwhile, is also ready to launch on a separate $130 million reconfiguration of the major interchange at State Route 47/Vincent Thomas Bridge and Front Street/Harbor Boulevard in San Pedro. That Caltrans project is designed to reduce travel times, alleviate congestion, and improve motorist and pedestrian safety. The interchange connects to the Port of Los Angeles.
A 90-day public comment period for the Vincent Thomas Bridge closure ended in July. Caltrans said it received 267 comments throughout the circulation period from residents and other stakeholders.
The full bridge closure will allow crews to remove the current bridge deck and install a pre-cast bridge deck.
“The department’s selection of the single-stage option allows for the shortest construction time,” Caltrans said in a news release, “is the safest construction alternative, most cost-efficient alternative, and provides opportunities to improve the construction schedule.”
The work is needed, Caltrans said, to “preserve the bridge’s structural integrity and to enhance its overall safety.”
The agency will host open houses prior to the start of construction to inform the community about the plans and its impacts on neighborhoods and commuters. Individual meetings will be held in person in San Pedro and Wilmington and virtually as well. Caltrans will also create a Traffic Management Task Force to receive input and develop the plan to detour traffic around the closure and divert traffic onto freeways.
Questions can be emailed to vtbproject@dot.ca.gov and project information is available at virtualeventroom.com/caltrans/vtb.
The final environmental document for the project is posted at that website.