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(Oct. 4, 2020, 7:55 a.m.) -- The City of Long Beach and the City-operated Port of Lnng Beach sought and received hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars by telling Congress and Sacramento that replacing the Gerald Desmond bridge should be a national priority.
They said the replacement was necessary to maintain the flow of goods on which the entire country depends. They said the current bridge (completed in 1968) was too low to let newer taller container ships enter Long Beach's inner harbor to unload/onload their cargo. But that advocacy argument was untrue when made. It remains untrue today. Tall container ships don't have to enter LB's inner harbor to unload/onload. They do so right now by using cranes fronting LB's outer harbor facing seaward. It's not a secret; it's visible and undeniable. To the extent the City and Port of Long Beach sought hundreds of millions of federal and state taxpayer dollars based on a "too-low" Desmond bridge, they offered a half truth that invited a false conclusion. City/Port representatives didn't rely on the "too low" argument alone; they also cited other grounds. They said the bridge was "aging." But the Brooklyn Bridge (1883) and Golden Gate Bridge (1937) are also "aging." No one is talking about demolishing them. They said the bridge relied on a "diaper" (netting below) to catch portions of roadway that fell off. But LB residents saw how the City justified a costly new Civic Center by letting the City's less than 40 year old City Hall and library deteriorate with poor maintenance. Port of Long Beach Media Relations Manager Lee Peterson summed up other reasons for launching the bridge project. The Gerald Desmond Bridge, completed in 1968, was not built for the job it needs to do today. There are more cargo trucks, more commuter traffic and ships are bigger. On the underside of the Desmond Bridge is some heavy-duty netting installed more than 15 years ago to catch the concrete spalls that sometimes fall from the structure. [Scroll down for further.] |
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What maritime and cargo interests really wanted was a new bridge with more lanes, more truck cargo capacity, and they got it. And how they got it is likewise worth recalling.
Although the replacement Desmond bridge will bring increased truck traffic to the I-710 freeway, in 2010 LB's non-elected (Mayor nominated/Council approved) Harbor Commission certified an EIR for the replacement bridge that didn't analyze the bridge's cumulative impacts for the 710 freeway north of 9th St. The bridge EIR was appealed to the City Council, but most of the high visibility appellants focused on whether it should include a dedicated bicycle lane. For his part. Then-Councilman (now Mayor) Robert Garcia pressed for inclusion of attractive bridge lighting. The net result left those issues to the I-710 expansion project, approved by Metro's governing board [including Garcia] despite objections from a number of residents and clean air groups seeking greater pollution reductions. LBREPORT.com stands by our statement above. Federal and state taxpayers spent hundreds of millions of dollars as part of the $1.5 billion Desmond replacement bridge's based on a premise that wasn't true when made and isn't true today.
Here's how a CalTrans/Metro/Port of Long Beach/US Dept. of Transportation release described the outcome:
The Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project has constructed a majestic bridge spanning the Port of Long Beach. With a deck rising 205 feet above the water, the new bridge will be a new icon for the Southern California coastline, replacing a bridge that has reached the end of its lifespan.The new bridge is designed for a 100-year lifespan. The sleek, cable-stayed bridge will include additional traffic lanes, a higher clearance to accommodate the large cargo ships and a dedicated bicycle path and pedestrian walkway, including scenic overlooks.The design-build project has generated about 3,000 construction-related jobs during the project.With two towers reaching 515 feet into the sky( nearly as tall as the Washington Monument), this will be the second-tallest cable-stayed bridge in the United States.The bridge provides a vital link to international and domestic shipping of goods and materials entering and leaving the major port complex.Bridge partners include the Port of Long Beach, Caltrans,LosAngeles County Metro and the U.S. Department of Transportation
An Oct. 2 Grand Opening was webcast on multiple government and affiliated platforms. A release described the planned event: A flyover by vintage aircraft, a procession of clean cargo trucks and classic cars, a boat parade and more will highlight virtual, webcast ceremonies on Friday, Oct. 2, marking the opening of the iconic new bridge at the Port of Long Beach... Contact us: mail@LBReport.com |
  
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