Redecking of Vincent Thomas Bridge to Begin Early Next Year

Work to replace the deck of the Vincent Thomas Bridge at the Port of Los Angeles is set to
begin early next year, while proposals to raise the bridge’s clearance for larger ships are not
expected to move forward soon.

According to Mike Jacob, president of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), the
California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) informed port stakeholders that redecking
must proceed before any plans to elevate the 63-year-old structure can be considered.
Jacob said PMSA, which represents shipping lines and terminal operators, agrees with the
agency’s decision.

“The funding is there [for the redecking],” he said. “The engineering is done. It received
environmental clearance.”

CalSTA, which oversees state transportation departments, said hundreds of millions of dollars in
federal funding are already available for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
to carry out the bridge’s safety and structural improvements.

In a statement to the Journal of Commerce regarding the potential height increase, CalSTA said
it “welcomes continued discussions to a path forward for that possibility while we work to make
sure the bridge is structurally sound and safe for the motoring public in the meantime.”

The Vincent Thomas Bridge serves as a key route into Los Angeles Harbor, carrying about
53,000 vehicles each day, including around 3,400 heavy-duty trucks, according to Caltrans.
Traffic slowdowns are expected once the project begins.

Port Executive Director Gene Seroka said the current bridge height limits vessel access to ships
of about 15,000 TEUs. Increasing the clearance from 185 feet to 211 feet would make room for
vessels of up to 23,000 TEUs to reach Yusen Terminals, TraPac, and West Basin — three of the
six container terminals in Los Angeles.

The redecking project is scheduled to begin in January and will include partial closures lasting
roughly nine months, followed by a full closure from November 2026 to March 2028, a Caltrans
representative told members of the Propeller Club of Los Angeles and Long Beach in May.

Caltrans has planned alternate surface routes and is improving nearby streets to help trucks
and vehicles move through the harbor area during the closure. The agency also plans to provide
real-time traffic updates throughout construction.

If the bridge were raised by 26 feet, total costs would climb from $1.5 billion to $2.2 billion, and
the closure would extend from 16 months to 28 months.

Seroka said the port and terminal operators intend to continue talks with state officials on long-
term options.

“While we were hopeful that we would be able to include a bridge raising component into
Caltrans’ pending critical maintenance project, we’re encouraged by the strong support of the
administration to quickly explore additional projects, which could include raising the bridge or
building a new crossing,” he said.