Frequently Asked Questions

The Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project spans the Port of Long Beach’s Back Channel with a deck rising 205 feet above the water. The sleek, cable-stayed bridge includes additional traffic lanes, a higher clearance to accommodate the newest generation of cargo ships, and a dedicated bicycle path and pedestrian walkway, including scenic overlooks. With two towers reaching 515-feet into the sky, this is the second-tallest cable-stayed bridge in the United States at the time of its completion.

The Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project provides a critical upgrade to a vital hub in the nation’s trade system. The current bridge, built in the late 1960s, is in dire need of replacement. It was not designed to handle today’s large cargo ships or traffic volumes. When the existing bridge was constructed more than 45 years ago, cargo ships were one-sixth the size they are today. Although the Port of Long Beach’s outer docks are “big ship ready” and already handling the world’s largest cargo vessels, the existing bridge prevents the new generation of cargo ships from reaching the inner channel. The new bridge will raise the clearance by 50 feet up from the existing bridge height of 155-feet above water.