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Vincent Thomas Bridge closes for 16-month deck replacement

Vincent Thomas Bridge closes for 16-month deck replacement

Built World Los Angeles, CA local

San Pedro-to-Terminal Island span shuts Nov. 7, rerouting 53,000 daily vehicles and port trucks until March 2028.

Today: Bridge carries final day of traffic

Overview

Updated 2 hours ago

The Vincent Thomas Bridge carries 53,000 vehicles a day between San Pedro and Terminal Island, including 4,600 heavy trucks serving the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. At 12:01 a.m. Saturday, it closes for 16 months so crews can replace a deck that a 2021 inspection rated poor.

The $750 million project forces detours through Wilmington and Long Beach, where residents, truckers and small businesses are bracing for longer commutes and fewer customers. Caltrans chose a full closure over phased work that would have stretched construction to as long as 48 months.

Why it matters

A key port route will be out for 16 months, adding commute and cargo delays across Southern California’s busiest harbor complex.

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Key Indicators

16 months
Closure length
Full closure scheduled from Nov. 7, 2026, to at least March 2028.
53,000
Daily vehicles
Average daily traffic before closure, including port trucks.
4,600
Daily heavy trucks
Nearly 9% of daily traffic is heavy trucks serving the ports.
$750M
Project cost
Deck replacement, safety upgrades and seismic sensors.
63 years
Bridge age
Opened in 1963; deck deteriorated from marine environment and truck traffic.
Poor
2021 deck condition rating
Inspection dropped rating from fair to poor.

Voices

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People Involved

Tate Allen
Tate Allen
San Pedro resident and Harborgeddon website creator
Commutes to Long Beach three days a week
 Tim McOsker
Tim McOsker
Los Angeles City Councilmember, District 15
Pushed for detour road repairs and traffic monitoring
GR
Gloria Roberts
Caltrans District 7 Director
Overseeing the deck replacement project
 Gene Seroka
Gene Seroka
Port of Los Angeles Executive Director
Coordinating cargo movement during closure
SC
Stephanie Crawford
Owner, Creative Pet Supply
Bracing for fewer customers from Long Beach
LJ
Liz Schindler Johnson
Executive Director, Grand Vision Foundation
Preparing for audience and staff commute changes

Organizations Involved

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
State agency
Leads the Vincent Thomas Bridge deck replacement

Caltrans owns and maintains the Vincent Thomas Bridge and is managing the $750 million deck replacement.
Port of Los Angeles
Port of Los Angeles
Port authority
Coordinating cargo and commuter impacts

The Port of Los Angeles is one of the two ports served by the bridge and a major source of truck traffic.
SJ
Skanska-CEC Joint Venture
Construction contractor
Replacing the bridge deck

The joint venture is the contractor for the Vincent Thomas Bridge deck replacement.

Timeline

2021 March 2028

5 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Targeted reopening

    Upcoming Schedule

    Caltrans aims to reopen the bridge in early March 2028.

  2. Vincent Thomas Bridge closes to traffic

    Upcoming Closure

    Full closure begins at 12:01 a.m. for deck replacement.

  3. Bridge carries final day of traffic

    Today Milestone

    The span remains open through Friday before closing at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

  4. Caltrans sets Nov. 7 closure

    Announcement

    Agency announces 16-month full closure for deck replacement.

  5. Inspection rates bridge deck poor

    Inspection

    Caltrans inspection finds deck condition dropped from fair to poor, partly from port truck traffic.

Scenarios

1

Bridge reopens on schedule in March 2028

Likely Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: Caltrans

Caltrans has targeted early March 2028 for reopening. The project has a fixed scope: replace the deck, median, railing, fencing and add seismic sensors. If construction stays on pace, traffic returns before the 16-month mark ends.

2

Detour congestion forces new traffic restrictions

Possible Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Caltrans and Los Angeles Department of Transportation

Caltrans plans traffic control officers at 18 intersections and says it will monitor detours. If congestion or truck traffic overwhelms Wilmington and Long Beach streets, the city or Caltrans could add turn restrictions, signal changes or truck routes.

3

Project cost rises above $750 million

Possible Resolves by Q1 2028

Discussed by: Caltrans

The project is budgeted at $750 million. Large deck replacements often face change orders for unexpected conditions. A contract amendment would show the cost has grown.

4

San Pedro businesses report sustained sales decline

Uncertain Resolves by Nov 7, 2027

Discussed by: Local business owners and LAist

Business owners worry detours will keep Long Beach customers away. A sustained decline would show up in city tax receipts or chamber surveys after the first year.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

March 2024

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse (2024)

A container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, collapsing the span and killing six workers. The wreckage blocked the Port of Baltimore’s main channel for weeks.

Then

Cargo traffic rerouted to other ports and the channel was gradually reopened.

Now

The collapse prompted new attention to bridge protection and port resilience; a replacement bridge is planned.

Why this matters now

It shows how a major port bridge outage forces trucks, commuters and cargo onto detours.

August 2007

I-35W bridge collapse (2007)

The I-35W bridge in Minneapolis collapsed during evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The bridge had been rated structurally deficient.

Then

The state built a replacement bridge in about 13 months.

Now

The collapse led to stricter bridge inspection and oversight rules.

Why this matters now

It illustrates why agencies act on deck condition ratings before a failure, even at high traffic cost.

October 1989

Loma Prieta earthquake Bay Bridge closure (1989)

The Loma Prieta earthquake damaged the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, closing it for a month. Traffic shifted to other bridges and ferries.

Then

Crews repaired the eastern span and reopened it within a month.

Now

The closure accelerated planning for a replacement eastern span, which opened in 2013.

Why this matters now

It is a California precedent for a major bridge closure that reroutes commuters and freight for an extended period.

Sources

(3)
LAist Long Beach Post Caltrans