With the anticipated full closure of the heavily traveled Vincent Thomas Bridge now expected to launch as soon as Nov. 1, an online, virtual-only community meeting is planned Thursday evening, April 2, by Caltrans to lay out the schedule going forward.
Meanwhile, pre-construction work has now formally begun, according to Caltrans officials.
Preliminary construction work for the project began on March 23, marking the start of overnight lane closures — beginning with westbound lanes — ahead of the upcoming full bridge closure this fall, according to information provided by Caltrans.
Closures are scheduled Sunday nights through Friday mornings.
On Sundays, closures will take place from 9:45 p.m. to 6:45 a.m., and on other weeknights from 10:45 p.m. to 6:45 a.m. The southbound SR-47 on-ramp at Ferry Street will also be closed during these hours.
Current work includes installing an under-deck shield and working platform, along with stair access to the bridge deck at multiple locations to support upcoming construction.
Eastbound overnight closures will begin at a later date, with advance notice to be provided closer to those timelines, Caltrans said.
Overnight work is expected to continue through summer 2026, with occasional closures extending into the fall. No daytime closures are planned.
Community meetings have already taken place in both San Pedro and Wilmington (on March 18 and 19) with the final virtual meeting set this week, from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 2. Register at https://shorturl.at/xkygj to attend.
Recordings of those meetings will be posted to the project website once videos are processed.
Preliminary detour routes have been designated and can be viewed at the project website along with a live timeline for each step of the project that is now in motion.
Currently the tentative target date for the full reopening of the bridge is in the winter of 2027-28.
Named for the late Assemblyman Vincent Thomas who represented the San Pedro area, the 6,050-foot suspension bridge — which cost $21 million to build — opened to traffic on Nov. 15, 1963. It sees heavy port-related and commuter traffic and is a key link traveling over the Port of Los Angeles’ main shipping channel to Terminal Island. It also directly connects San Pedro and downtown Long Beach to the east of Terminal Island.