Los Angeles, California: Vincent Thomas Bridge Closes for 16 Months Starting Saturday

Los Angeles drivers who cross the harbor on the Vincent Thomas Bridge have one day left. Caltrans will close the bridge in both directions at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, and it will stay closed for about 16 months while crews replace its entire concrete deck.

The closure covers State Route 47 between Harbor Boulevard in San Pedro and Ferry Street on Terminal Island. Ramp and lane closures start overnight on Nov. 6, before the full shutdown at midnight, Caltrans said in project updates carried by the Port of Los Angeles and local port groups.

What the work involves

The $750 million Vincent Thomas Bridge Deck Replacement Project will replace the entire bridge deck and modernize the center median, railing, fencing, lighting and signage, and upgrade seismic sensors, Caltrans said. The contractor is the Skanska-CEC Joint Venture.

The bridge has been in service for more than 60 years and is structurally sound, Caltrans said, but its concrete deck is deteriorating from heavy traffic and the marine environment around Los Angeles Harbor. It carries an average of 53,000 vehicles a day, and nearly 9 percent of that traffic is heavy trucks.

Caltrans District 7 Director Gloria Roberts said the agency has worked with partners, communities and stakeholders to prepare for the closure, and that the investment will keep communities connected and commerce moving through the San Pedro Bay Port Complex.

Detours and the port

Motorists will be detoured mainly along Interstate 710, Interstate 110, State Route 103 and Harry Bridges Boulevard. Caltrans said it resurfaced and restriped roads on the detour routes, installed traffic cameras and temporary signals, and will post traffic control officers at 18 key intersections, with local police expanding commercial truck enforcement.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said the port's focus is on keeping cargo moving while helping workers and commuters navigate the closure. The Port of Los Angeles said all of its terminals will remain open, with no expected impact on port operations, cargo flow or rail. The port said only about 8 percent of port complex drayage truck traffic travels on the Vincent Thomas Bridge, though detours may add time for those drivers.

Councilmember Tim McOsker, who represents the harbor area, said the closure will have a significant impact on people who live and work in harbor communities for 16 months, and that the city worked to keep detour traffic out of residential neighborhoods.

The bridge is targeted to reopen in early March 2028. Caltrans directs drivers to its project website and QuickMap for current closure and traffic information.