All eyes are on the dazzling new Long Beach harbor bridge that is opening this weekend.
Built to last 100 years, it replaces the much smaller Gerald Desmond Bridge, which opened in 1968 and simply was no longer sufficient to handle the growing port-related traffic, either in terms of the trucks moving over it or the larger container vessels that needed to pass underneath it.
But what about its cousin, the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro? Will that be outdated and also need to be replaced?
It’s not going anywhere soon, say port and Caltrans officials.
“We’re not aware of any plans by Caltrans to make any major change to the bridge,” said Port of Los Angeles spokesman Phillip Sanfield.
But that doesn’t mean the question hasn’t been tossed around. The aging bridge — it turns 57 years old on Nov. 15 and was built to last for 75 years — has just two lanes in each direction and a clearance that doesn’t accommodate some of today’s larger cranes or ships.
Opened in 1963, the distinctive — and much loved — emerald green suspension bridge was part of the focus of a 2003 traffic congestion study commissioned by the Port of Los Angeles.
The primary problems, according to agency information gathered and provided by Caltrans District 7 spokesperson Marc Bischoff, are twofold: a deterioration of the deck due to saltwater and moisture on the structural steel.
“To preserve the bridge deck, we repair spalls (and) minor cracks in the deck’s surface as soon as we notice telltale cracking,” Bischoff wrote. “We have a permanent crew of 10 bridge painters that maintains the coating of the structural steel full-time.”
The 2003 report by Meyer, Mohaddes Associates Inc. concluded that the bridge could reach its capacity as early as 2010 in light of the growing port traffic. “A range of alternatives must be evaluated,” the report said, “including modification/upgrade of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, replacement of the bridge with a facility with greater capacity, (or) other network improvements.”
A later port traffic study also looked at some bridge possibilities on the table, including adding a second bridge that could run parallel to the Vincent Thomas.
Building an adjacent bridge would, according to the information Caltrans gathered, be the only way to “widen” the bridge.
But the more recent study mostly examined ways to improve the existing structure by improving transition roads and on- and off-ramps serving the bridge as the more practical way to ease gridlock.
Recent improvements have been made — including adding a lane at the busy transition nexus between the bridge and the 110 Freeway north — that have eased the congestion on the bridge.
And another plan to reconfigure the interchange of State Route 47 and Harbor Boulevard is in the works as well. That will be aimed at cutting down the backed-up traffic on off-ramps during peak hours, a situation that’s expected to get worse with growing traffic. The project now is in an environmental study stage and is expected to go out to bid in 2022.
The Vincent Thomas is considered small by today’s bridge engineering standards. It’s up to date with seismic improvements made in 2018, although an accident or stalled vehicle can still cause a major and lengthy backup on the two-lane roadway.
But it is probably San Pedro’s most recognizable landmark.
Named for the area’s assemblyman at the time it opened — when it replaced the ferry boat service from San Pedro to Terminal Island — it also has been featured in numerous movie and television productions.
In 2005, after a 17-year-long community campaign to raise the funds and come up with a design, the bridge was adorned with 160 blue, solar-powered LED lights, a major boost to its nighttime visibility and charm.
So for now, the bridge seems to be a keeper. While it was built to last 75 years, Bischoff said good maintenance can keep bridges in service for much longer than their original designated lifespans.
“When the cost to maintain a bridge is significant, analysis can be performed to determine if it is more cost effective to continue maintaining a bridge or to replace it,” he said.
For San Pedro, the historic bridge carries deep sentimental support, even though Long Beach’s new bridge at the other end of the harbor could stir some envy.
But the San Pedro span is an original, still picturesque and still doing the heavy lifting required in the busy port district.
While it may not be as big or modern — and the lights may not be as spectacular — as its shiny new cousin across the twin harbors, the bridge has a graceful and classic look that’s still admired by many, including Long Beach harbor commission President Frank Colonna.
“The Vincent Thomas is a classic bridge,” he said, “that’s almost timeless.”
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San Pedro’s Vincent Thomas Bridge is here to stay — for now - The Daily Breeze
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