The first of three public hearings on renovation plans that are expected to cause major closures on the Vincent Thomas Bridge drew about 50 people Wednesday night, May 1, with most comments centering around the impacts that could occur with the needed detours through some local communities.
The two-hour, virtual session — hosted by the California Department of Transportationm or Caltrans — was intended to get feedback on the project’s draft environmental impact report, which came out last month. An extended, 90-day public comment period runs until July 15.
Two in-person hearings are also planned: May 30 at the Wilmington Recreation Center, 325 N. Neptune Ave., in Wilmington; and June 13 at Peck Park Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave., in San Pedro. Both meetings will take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
Residents can also comment by email or letters.
The mile-long suspension bridge, which opened in 1963, is heavily used by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach as well as by workers and residents traveling to and from San Pedro, Terminal Island and Long Beach.
While the bridge itself remains structurally sound, the concrete road deck, Caltrans officials have said, is “rapidly deteriorating.” Causes include “concrete fatigue” from heavy traffic and the damp marine environment. Without putting in a new deck, the department has said, the bridge itself will not last.
Currently, the Caltrans schedule calls for the design phase to finish in summer 2025, construction to begin that fall of and the bridge to fully reopen in spring 2027.
The length of time will depend on which of several construction options Caltrans selects following the public comment period.
News of the project was announced about a year ago when it sparked a flurry of public comments on social media and at a May 2023 meeting that drew some 100 viewers armed with both complaints and questions.
This week’s meeting provided a stark contrast, with fewer than a dozen people offering comments.
Concerns stressed at this week’s hearing centered around other road projects planned or currently in the works and how those will impact traffic on detour routes — mainly identified as Harry Bridges/Alameda Corridor, Pacific Coast Highway and Sepulveda Boulevard.
“(Port) workers need to traverse those routes to get to work on time,” said Sal DiCostanzo of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
He urged Caltrans officials not to overlap other road projects, especially along the Harry Bridges/Alameda Corridor.
Alameda Street “already is in bad shape” and is being used by large trucks four detours around other projects, said San Pedro resident Victor Christensen.
Agreeing that other road projects would be an impediment was Melanie Labrecque of San Pedro.
“We need to make sure (other projects won’t overlap) or it’s going to be a mess,” she said. “A lot of those trucks (now avoiding other work areas) are taking North Gaffey and Channel Street to get to John S. Gibson. North Gaffey is a mess right now, it just can’t tolerate a lot of traffic.”
Popular way-finding apps also need to be looped in on the detour routes, said Doug Epperhart of San Pedro.
“I know a lot of folks who depend on those things,” Epperhart said, “and I think if people get off the (regular detour) routes, they’ll be driving around neighborhoods and that’s going to bring some problems.”
One speaker also made note of the Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 2028 in choosing construction options that may take longer than others.
Representatives for government officials also took part in the hearing. Sergio Carrillo, from Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker’s office, said a meeting of McOsker’s neighborhood council leadership group will be convened in a week or so to further discuss impacts on roads and the environment.
Caltrans officials did not respond to comments directly, as the hearing was designed to take public comment only. Comments from this week and the other two upcoming hearings, as well as written comments sent in separately, will be included and addressed in the final EIR report.
The upcoming work will be done following one of four possible options:
Single stage: full closure for 16-41 months (depending on construction methods chosen) with detours and 24/7 work.
Two stage: partial closure up to 25 months, with one lane open in each direction during daytime and a full closure at night.
Three stage: partial closure up to 32 months, with one lane open in each direction during daytime and full closure at night.
Nighttime bridge closure: fully open during daytime traffic hours (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and fully closed during night time hours (7 p.m. to 6 a.m.) for up to 48 months.
Written comments can be emailed to: caltransvtb@virtualeventroom.net with the subject line “VTB Deck Replacement Project.”
They also can be sent by regular mail to Jason Roach, Senior Environmental Planner, Division of Environmental Planning (Project EA 07-39030), California Department of Transportation District 7, 100 South Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
Hard copies of the draft EIR report are available at six area public libraries:
Billie Jean King Main Library: 200 W. Broadway, Long Beach.
San Pedro Branch Library: 931 S. Gaffey St., San Pedro.
Wilmington Branch Library: 1300 N. Avalon Blvd., Wilmington.
Los Angeles Harbor College Library: 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington.
Harbor City-Harbor Gateway Branch Library: 24000 S. Western Ave., Harbor City.
Carson Library: 151 E. Carson St., Carson.
Input can be offered to Caltrans at any time but comments received after the public comment period ends on July 15 will not be included in the final EIR.
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