Next phase of community discussion begins on lengthy San Pedro VT Bridge closures

A 90-day public comment period is now open for people to weigh in on work that would fully or partially close the heavily traveled Vincent Thomas Bridge to replace its road deck.

The draft environmental impact report for the project — a state-mandaded analysis of potential impacts on everything from traffic to pollution and noise — came out last week, triggering the public comment period. The deadline to comment is July 15.

While the bridge is structurally sound, the bridge deck “is rapidly deteriorating,” the environmental impact report says.

The work involves replacing the damaged road deck on the mile-long bridge spanning the Port of Los Angeles. Work would begin in fall 2025.

Because the bridge is so heavily traveled, the project sparked some alarm — and no shortage of questions — when it was first announced by the state about a year ago. There was a preliminary public comment period at that time, as the California Department of Transportation gathered information to prepare the draft of the environmental impact report.

Three public hearings on the report will be held:

• May 1, via Zoom (to be recorded and available to watch anytime).
• May 30 (6-8 p.m.), in person, at the Wilmington Recreation Center, 325 N. Neptune Ave., Wilmington.
• June 13, (6-8 p.m.) in person, at Peck Park Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro.

Written comments can also be emailed to caltransvtb@virtualeventroom.net with the subject line “VTB Deck Replacement Project.” Comments can be sent by regular mail to:

• Jason Roach, Senior Environmental Planner, Division of Environmental Planning (Project EA 07-39020), California Department of Transportation District 7, 100 South Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Prompting the most discussion has been how long the four-lane bridge will be closed, depending on the construction schedule used. Several possibilities are being considered.

In the draft environmental report, a new, fourth alternative has been added to three that were aired a year ago: An alternative that would take about 48 months but would leave the bridge fully open during daytime traffic hours (6 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

The other three that were listed a year ago were:

• Full closure of the bridge, all lanes, lasting 16 to 41 months, with detour routes and 24/7 Caltrans work schedules.
• One lane open in each direction for each of two stages; reduced speeds of approximately 25 mph; multiple weekend (55-hour) full closures; and overnight full closures of the bridge. Construction would take about 25 months.
• One lane open in each direction for each stage and multiple weekend (55-hour) full bridge closures and full overnight bridge closures. Construction would last about 32 months.

“This is going to have a huge impact on commuters, workers at our port, and Wilmington residents along the alternate routes,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, urging residents to provide feedback using one of the options provided by Caltrans.

Updates based on comments heard from the public earlier are reflected in the new report, said Caltrans spokesperson Eric Menjivar.

“Updates reflect what we heard from the community and studies that were requested,” he said.

That includes a traffic study that looked at various detour routes: Harry Bridges Boulevard, Alameda Street, Anaheim Street, Pacific Coast Highway and the 405 Freeway.

Many residents have expressed concerns about how the detoured traffic, including large trucks serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, will impact the Wilmington community. Signs and other traffic aids will be used to help motorists find and use approved detours, Menjivar said.

The prospect of losing access to even part of the bridge, which opened in 1963 and was built to replace a water ferry, has caused much discussion throughout the Harbor Area over the past year.

The bridge serves as a major connector for residents on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, linking San Pedro to Terminal Island and Long Beach. Longshore and other port workers also rely on the bridge to get to and from jobs in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

In May 2023, Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka told harbor commissioners that building a new bridge would cost about “$6 billion in U.S. dollars in today’s money, much more than when it was built in the 1960s.”

The draft environmental document and other details can be found at virtualeventroom.com/caltrans/vtb.

Copies are also available at:

• 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.

The work is needed to replace the aging roadway, or bridge deck, which has been damaged by the heavy traffic and the saltwater climate. It has been repaired in the past and in 2009 received a short-term fix with a new polyester concrete overlay. But that cannot be done again, Caltrans workers have said — and the bridge now needs a new deck.

The draft report said the deck condition was rated as “fair” until an inspection in 2021 found it had deteriorated to the “poor” category.

The primary stress on the road, the report said, has been from heavy truck traffic associated with the twin ports.

Besides the bridge deck, the median concrete barrier and guardrail will also be replaced to meet new safety requirements. Caltrans has said the appearance of the bridge, which is considered an iconic part of the port landscape and is often used in filming, will not be altered.

Seismic sensors will also be upgraded.

The project is estimated to cost is $620 million to $745 million.