Long Beach's Gerald Desmond Bridge To Be Demolished In May
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) – A 53-year-old Long Beach bridge that was replaced back in 2020 is set to be demolished.
The Port of Long Beach reported Friday that the demolition of the Gerald Desmond Bridge will begin in May and will be complete by the end of 2023.
The Gerald Desmond Bridge, which first opened back in 1968, was shuttered in October of 2020 to make way for its replacement, the Long Beach International Gateway.
The Back Channel, a canal in the port, will be closed to vessels from May 7 and May 9 so crews can disconnect the Gerald Desmond's 527-foot-long main span.
"The Gerald Desmond Bridge helped this port complex become one of the busiest in the world. It helped us reach new heights during an era of incredible, transformative growth in international trade," Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero said in a statement. "We will bid a fond farewell to the Gerald Desmond, and honor the memory of the man for whom it was named. The new bridge that replaced it is a fitting, and lasting tribute to the old span."
The six-lane Long Beach International Gateway connects the 710 Freeway to the shipping yards on Terminal Island. It's the nation's second-tallest cable-stayed bridge. It carries an estimated 15% of all container goods coming into the U.S. It cost nearly $1.5 billion to build.