Follow-Up: Vincent Thomas Bridge Now Closed; Councilmember McOsker Urges Protection for Wilmington as Harbor Detours Begin
The Vincent Thomas Bridge in the Harbor Area of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, was formally closed on November 7 as its deck replacement project got underway. Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker said in a statement that day that, after years of planning, the closure begins a difficult adjustment for everyone who lives, works and travels through the Harbor Area: tens of thousands of trucks and passenger vehicles rely on the bridge every day, and even those who do not use it should expect more traffic throughout the Harbor Area — a burden he said he is particularly concerned will fall on Wilmington.
McOsker said he had made it clear to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) from the beginning: if traffic is directed off the bridge and into local communities, Caltrans has an obligation to protect the people who live there. His office insisted that Caltrans repair roads along the detour routes before the closure and repair them again after the project is complete, helped Caltrans establish detours designed to keep traffic out of Wilmington's residential streets, and coordinated for Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) officers to direct traffic, enforce restrictions and cite truck drivers who leave designated routes and enter neighborhoods.
During the closure, the two main alternatives for getting on and off Terminal Island are the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge and the Terminal Island Freeway (103/47). McOsker encouraged truck drivers to use the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge to stay on the freeway system, and all drivers to allow extra travel time and check Caltrans QuickMap conditions before heading out. Anyone who sees trucks leaving designated detour routes and entering residential streets can call the Los Angeles Police Department's South Traffic Division at (323) 421-2577.
McOsker said his office will stay in close coordination with Caltrans, LADOT and the Port of Los Angeles throughout the closure to monitor traffic and respond to problems, and that Caltrans has committed to making adjustments wherever needed.
As GSM reported earlier, the full closure began in the early hours of November 7 and is expected to last about 16 months; the roughly $750 million project will replace the aging deck and upgrade safety features and seismic sensors, targeting a reopening in early March 2028.
Related: Follow-Up: Vincent Thomas Bridge Full Closure Set for Nov. 7, Detour Routes Announced
(Source: Office of Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker)
Source: Office of Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Vincent Thomas Bridge航拍。美国海岸警卫队Louis Hebert摄，公共领域，经Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Aerial view of the Vincent Thomas Bridge. Photo by PA3 Louis Hebert, U.S. Coast Guard, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2026-10-10Vincent Thomas Bridge to Close for 16 Months From November for Deck Replacement; Temporary Closures Begin This Weekend, Virtual Open House Oct. 14
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- 2026-11-07Follow-Up: Vincent Thomas Bridge Now Closed; Councilmember McOsker Urges Protection for Wilmington as Harbor Detours BeginThis story
