Port of Long Beach replacement bridge to offer safer, smoother access to global commerce

Last week, Greg Nadeau, Deputy Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, joined representatives from the State of California and the Port of Long Beach to launch the $950 million Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement project. This bridge is a vital link between the Port and Los Angeles.

You see, the Port of Long Beach is the West Coast's 2nd busiest port, so the trucks coming and going over the Gerald Desmond Bridge carry more than 10 percent of our entire nation's waterborne cargo.

As the Port's Executive Director Richard Steinke said, ""This bridge has been the workhorse of the goods movement system."

Port of Long Beach's Gerald Desmond Bridge; all photos courtesy Doug Hecox, FHWA

Unfortunately, the 42-year-old bridge is deteriorating. With safety netting beneath its decks to keep debris from falling into the shipping channel, the bridge is no longer reliable enough to fulfill its function effectively.

The Gerald Desmond Bridge is a steel-and-concrete reminder of the connection between infrastructure and economic growth. The current bridge is only 155 feet high, too low to allow newer, taller cargo ships to pass safely beneath it.

The replacement will be 50 to 60 feet taller than the current bridge, making the shipping channel more accessible to today's cargo vessels, increasing the volume of imports and exports passing through the Port. And it will be wider to allow more trucks to carry more freight to and from the Port's ships. It will indeed be a "bridge to everywhere."

A section of the Gerald Desmond Bridge with safety netting to catch falling debris

This project is a terrific example of how the Department of Transportation is making sure our roads, rails, bridges, and seaports work together to pull our economy forward.

But even before the new bridge is complete, it will begin generating economic benefits by employing thousands of workers during the five years of its construction.

"We're building a landmark structure that will create jobs now and guarantee a stronger port and smoother transportation network for the future," said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster.

Strengthening our infrastructure, boosting our economy, and creating good jobs--all while helping reduce the emissions from thousands of trucks and commuters stuck every day in congested traffic. As Deputy Administrator Nadeau said, that's exactly the kind of project DOT is happy to support.

Greg Nadeau announcing FHWA support for bridge replacement project at Port of Long Beach

And no one recognizes the potential of infrastructure projects more than President Obama. Through the Recovery Act we’ve supported more than 14,000 road, rail, waterway and runway projects--creating tens of thousands of jobs and increasing our ability to move goods across America and around the world.

Now the President has proposed a six-year reauthorization of federal transportation programs, jump-started with an up-front investment of $50 billion in roads, rails and runways.

As the President says, we can rebuild America’s economy by rebuilding America. And we're doing just that with the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement project.

Comments

[John E]

This article fails to mention that the bridge is a shining example of the 1950s automobile-centric approach to traffic engineering. Pedestrians are prohibited, and bicyclists have an awkward and inefficient bypass around the high-speed freeway-style access ramps. Roads are for people, not just people in cars. It is very wrong not to provide safe and efficient access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Complete the streets, starting with this design!

[Pete van Nuys]

Yes, the Gerald Desmond Bridge is old-- in more ways than one. Like the Vincent Thomas, the other bridges and the entire road network in the LA and Long Beach harbor area it was designed in a simpler time, the era of the automobile. Surely cars and trucks would grow bigger, faster, heavier forever and the needs of non-motorized users would never have to be considered.
Now we know that's wrong. Tens of thousands of employees commute to our harbors around the clock. Forcing all of them to drive on roads and bridges which prohibit bicycles and other efficient personal modes is as outdated as Desmond Bridge itself.
It's time to bring Complete Streets to the harbor and link Long Beach with San Pedro along the 710/47 corridor. Design this bridge to include non-motorized modes.

[Jerry Morgan]

"As the President says, we can rebuild America’s economy by rebuilding America."

Awesome post. This project while important really represents America's commitment to continue to be a leader in the global economy.

[Dan Gutierrez]

The Gerald Desmond bridge replacement project is an excellent test of federal and state policy application. The current bridge is a conventional highway which allows bicycling, and the bridge also has a cantilevered walkway on the south (ocean) side of the bridge (the side visible in the photos above). The planned replacement has no requirement (only an option) for a a ped walkway or ped/bike path, and bicyclists are required to use a circuitous routing to gain entry to the planned 10 foot wide bridge shoulders (which could be converted to additional future travel lanes, so this is not necessarily permanent access). Not requiring ped access, effectively cuts of any ped access to terminal island, because the other two brides to the island have no ped access. This is major breach of Ray LaHood’s policy statement issued earlier this year:

United States Department of Transportation Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regs and Recommendations [March 11, 2010]

Recommended Actions (relevant excerpts)
The DOT encourages States, local governments, professional associations, community organizations, public transportation agencies, and other government agencies, to adopt similar policy statements on bicycle and pedestrian accommodation as an indication of their commitment to accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians as an integral element of the transportation system. In support of this commitment, transportation agencies and local communities should go beyond minimum design standards and requirements to create safe, attractive, sustainable, accessible, and convenient bicycling and walking networks. Such actions should include:
• Considering walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes: The primary goal of a transportation system is to safely and efficiently move people and goods. Walking and bicycling are efficient transportation modes for most short trips and, where convenient intermodal systems exist, these nonmotorized trips can easily be linked with transit to significantly increase trip distance. Because of the benefits they provide, transportation agencies should give the same priority to walking and bicycling as is given to other transportation modes. Walking and bicycling should not be an afterthought in roadway design.
• Ensuring that there are transportation choices for people of all ages and abilities, especially children: Pedestrian and bicycle facilities should meet accessibility requirements and provide safe, convenient, and interconnected transportation networks. For example, children should have safe and convenient options for walking or bicycling to school and parks. People who cannot or prefer not to drive should have safe and efficient transportation choices.
• Going beyond minimum design standards: Transportation agencies are encouraged, when possible, to avoid designing walking and bicycling facilities to the minimum standards. For example, shared-use paths that have been designed to minimum width requirements will need retrofits as more people use them. It is more effective to plan for increased usage than to retrofit an older facility. Planning projects for the long-term should anticipate likely future demand for bicycling and walking facilities and not preclude the provision of future improvements.
• Integrating bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on new [Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement], rehabilitated, and limited-access bridges: DOT encourages bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on bridge projects including facilities on limited-access bridges with connections to streets or paths.
Thus federal policy supports making the bridge accessible to peds, including ADA access, as well as supporting the needs of bicyclists.

Here’s what CA state lawmakers and Caltrans have to say on the subject:

California Streets and Highways Code, Section 888

The department [Caltrans] shall not construct a state highway as a freeway that will result in the severance or destruction of an existing major route for nonmotorized transportation traffic and light motorcycles, unless it provides a reasonable, safe, and convenient alternate route or such a route exists.

Caltrans Project Development Procedures Manual (PDPM) Chapter 31 Introduction

State and federal laws require Caltrans to promote and facilitate increased use of nonmotorized transportation. The purpose of this chapter is to outline pertinent statutory requirements, planning policies, and implementing procedures regarding nonmotorized transportation facilities.
A nonmotorized transportation facility may be part of the highway (such as a shoulder) or it may be separated from highway traffic for exclusive nonmotorized use (such as a bike path or sidewalk)

PDPM Chapter 31, ARTICLE 1 - Routes Severed by Freeways
Preserving Existing Nonmotorized Capabilities [per SHC 888]

Types of Existing Major Routes
An existing major route for nonmotorized traffic may be any of the following:
• Conventional highway or expressway [Existing GDB]
• Sidewalk on a conventional highway: The sidewalk may be principally for pedestrian use but may also be used by bicyclists when permitted by local ordinance. [Existing GDB walkway]
• Freeway shoulder on which bicycle traffic is permitted in accordance with Vehicle Code, Section 21960, and for which no reasonable, safe, or convenient alternate route is available
• Path within the freeway right of way
• Path outside of the freeway right of way
• Path outside of the roadway

Alternative Routes
A reasonable, safe, and convenient alternate route can consist of a system of local routes or State highways. The alternate route should not consist of significant out-of-direction travel, additional grades of significant length or slope [proposed access], or high-volume routes with narrow shoulders.

Proposals After Freeway Construction
Pursuant to Section 888 of the S&H Code, nonmotorized facilities proposed after a freeway has been constructed DO NOT QUALIFY as an "alternate route" for a severed or destroyed nonmotorized route. [cannot construct routes after the fact] Instead, such facilities are to be developed as a cooperative project under the provisions of Sections 887.6 and 888.2 of the S&H Code.

Taken together, it is clear that Federal and state policy as well as state law require pedestrian and bicycling accommodation on new/rehabilitated bridge routes that are converted to freeways. The California Association of Bicycling Organizations (CABO) asserts that Caltrans and the Port of Long Beach follow state law and state and federal policy (cited above) by making a pedestrian walkway and improved bicycling access MANDATORY requirements for the Gerald Desmond replacement bridge design-build contract. This is also the recommendation by the Caltrans District 7 Bicycle Advisory Committee, for which I serve as policy chair, to the Caltrans District 7 director, Michael Miles. Anything less completely severs pedestrian access to the island, and increases the difficulty of the primary bicycling route to Terminal Island.

Respectfully,

Dan Gutierrez
District 7 Director
California Association of Bicycling Organizations

[LA Southbay guy]

But will it include bike lanes or even sidewalks to get employees to/from the facility? I have heard rumors that this is not the case.

[Michael E. Bailey]

The Gerald Desmond Bridge has been a landmark and a key piece of infrastructure for the port for over 40 years. It will be hard to replace. I can remember when the bridge was originally built in the 1960s, special marine construction equipment had to be designed and built. The same will probably need to happen today too because that original equipment has probably all been scrapped by this time. But its time for a new bridge. And it sounds like the new one will really pay off big for the port and the region. The Port of San Diego has a similar but larger suspension bridge that connects the mainland to Coronado Island. I am wondering if it is noht also getting time to replace that bridge, too? Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Florida Drug And Alcohol Test Course]

Its really a good idea to replace the bridge as its so old bridge there may be risk of falling down.............

[Mark Bixby]

Dear Ray,

We need your support for bicycle and pedestrian paths on this new bridge. Please refer to your March statement on bicycling access - which I quoted at the EIR appeal hearing before the Long Beach City Council. If this isn't the perfect place to make sure we provide bike/ped access for the 6,000 people working on Terminal Island, and provide the first half of the link from Long Beach to San Pedro - completing an important link in the California Coastal Trail - then I'm not sure what you meant back in March.
The California Coastal Commission strongly supports our effort as does the League of American Bicyclists. Caltrans is supposed to be following DDR 64 R-1 as well, which says basically the same thing - no new infrastructure with our state tax dollars without accomodating bicycles and pedestrians.
You stepped up back in March 2010 and took a strong position that will be looked upon as a sea-change by future generations. We need you to back it up with a letter to the Port of Long Beach explaining that a backroad alternative route doesn't cut it. Bike Ped on the bridge.

For more information, please visit: www.wheelturns.com

Thank you,

Mark Bixby

[Jean Knott]

My brother was killed on a motorcycle over 3 years ago in Nov. he was coming home from a eye appointment when a woman turned right in front of him.. The Detectives told my other brother that he flew 30 feet in the air before hitting the roadway..The doctors told us when we got to the hospital almost every bone in his body was broken.. his sternum was split in two and there was nothing more they could do for him.. they kept him alive till the rest of the family arrived.. his name was William H.Kline 3rd he was only 56 when he was killed.. please do something about cell phones in cars nationwide.. all the woman got was careless driving and her license taken for 2 months.