Construction work is in full throttle on the Gerald Desmond Replacement Bridge Project, including drilling operations for the foundation system comprising some 350 below ground piles that support above ground columns for the east and west approach spans on the bridge. As of mid-May, foundation work on the project was nearing the halfway mark. Photo courtesy Shimmick Construction Company.
Mammoth Gerald Desmond Bridge Project Delivers Big Benefits to Port of Long Beach, Southern California Economy
By Carol Eaton In construction, like anything, big-
ger isn’t always better. But for the Port of Long Beach and the surrounding region, the super-sized new Gerald Desmond Replacement Bridge will deliver plenty of economic benefits, thanks to a design that accommodates the most modern, efficient cargo ships and allows for increased traffic volume to facilitate movement of the na- tion’s goods. Soaring 205 feet above the water and
featuring two 515-ft-tall diamond shaped towers that support its 2,000-ft.-long main cable-stayed span, the 8,800-ft-long Ger- ald Desmond Replacement Bridge is the first major highway cable-stayed bridge in California. It will be one of the tallest of its kind in the country once it is completed in mid-2018. The bridge’s high vertical clear-
12 July/August 2015
ance will allow the newest generation of giant cargo ships to pass beneath, provid- ing the port a major competitive advan- tage. Plus its ample six-lane width (along with safety lanes and a dedicated bike / pedestrian path) will easily accommodate an estimated 68,000 vehicle trips daily, or about 18 million trips each year. The new bridge will replace the aging,
original 47-year-old bridge structure (completed in 1968) that has become functionally obsolete. Designed to ease traffic congestion and improve safety, the replacement bridge will improve the flow of approximately 15 percent of the nation’s containerized cargo that is imported to the U.S. through the Port of Long Beach every day. Once in the port, the cargo is trucked out over the bridge which connects to the Long Beach (710) Freeway and downtown Long Beach.
Design-Build Team Shimmick Construction Co. is leading
the design-build team that is delivering the $1.3 billion new Gerald Desmond Replace- ment Bridge. Also on the team are FCC Construction S.A., and Impreglio S.p.A, Arup North America Ltd., and Biggs Car- dosa Associates Inc. as the subcontracting designers. The project represents one of 10 spe-
cially authorized design-build transporta- tion projects in California. Designated as a National Highway System Intermodal Connector Route and part of the Federal Strategic Highway Network, the bridge project is funded jointly by the Port, Cal- trans, Los Angeles County Metro, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. SFI (Shimmick, FCC, Imp JV) Direc-
tor Bill Corn said the sheer bulk and enor- mous size of the bridge components have
California Constructor
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