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Ports & Rail

Vincent Thomas Bridge set to close for 16 months: What port truckers need to know

Caltrans says the State Route 47 span closes at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 for a deck replacement. The Port of Los Angeles says about 8% of port drayage traffic uses the bridge.

By Kwame ·
Green steel suspension bridge deck rising above a harbour-side promenade with palm trees and parked cars beneath it, under a clear blue sky.
Photo: Busition / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Caltrans plans to close the Vincent Thomas Bridge on State Route 47 in San Pedro, California, for about 16 months starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, to replace the bridge deck.

State Route 47, which includes the bridge, connects San Pedro and Long Beach to Terminal Island at the Port of Los Angeles and links to Interstate 110, State Route 103 and Interstate 710. Caltrans says it carries an average of 53,000 vehicles a day, and nearly 9% of that traffic is heavy trucks.

The state agency says the bridge is structurally sound, but its concrete deck has worn down from more than 60 years of heavy traffic and the marine environment. The project, which costs about $750 million, will replace the whole deck, modernize safety features and upgrade seismic sensors. Caltrans is targeting a reopening in early March 2028.

Detour routes

Caltrans says traffic will be detoured mainly along Interstates 710 and 110, State Route 103 and Harry Bridges Boulevard. The agency resurfaced and restriped roads and intersections on the detour routes, added traffic cameras and put in temporary signals.

Traffic control officers will be posted at 18 key intersections to manage traffic by hand, and local police will step up commercial truck enforcement, Caltrans said.

What the port says

The Port of Los Angeles says all of its terminals will stay open and it expects no impact on terminal productivity, cargo flow or capacity.

According to the port, only 8% of drayage truck traffic in the port complex uses the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Local detours may add some time for those drivers. The port says rail cargo moving through the complex will not be affected.

Tips for drivers

  • Check detour routes before dispatch, especially for moves between San Pedro, Terminal Island and Long Beach.
  • Build extra time into appointments on routes that used the bridge.
  • Expect closer attention from police on truck routes near the detours.
  • Caltrans and the port both post closure updates and detour maps on their project websites.

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