Vincent Thomas Bridge closes Nov. 7 for 16 months: the detours, the $750 million plan and what the ports say

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Container ship passing the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro

Traffic officers will be posted at 18 intersections, and only about 8% of port truck traffic uses the bridge, according to the port.

By Alberto Zamudio | The Southbound 105 | Oct. 15, 2026

In three weeks, one of the Los Angeles harbor region's key links goes dark. Caltrans will close the Vincent Thomas Bridge, which carries State Route 47 between San Pedro and Terminal Island, to all traffic on Nov. 7 for 16 months.

The agency says the 60-plus-year-old bridge's concrete deck is "severely deteriorated." Crews will replace the deck, center median, railing, fencing and signage, and modernize other components, according to the Caltrans fact sheet for fall and winter 2026-27.

The basics

  • Closure: begins Nov. 7, 2026, and lasts 16 months.
  • Reopening: early 2028, per Caltrans. The Port of Los Angeles describes the closure as November 2026 through March 2028. Caltrans' FAQ says the bridge is expected to reopen before the 2028 Olympic Games.
  • Cost: Caltrans lists a total project cost of $750 million; the port's page says $753 million.
  • Contractor: the joint venture of Skanska and California Engineering Contractors is the construction manager/general contractor.
  • Work schedule: the 16-month figure assumes crews work around the clock, according to the Caltrans FAQ.

Where traffic will go

Caltrans' FAQ says detour routes are expected to send traffic to and from Terminal Island via the Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Bridge (SR 47) from the north and the Gerald Desmond Bridge (I-710) from the east, using streets such as West Harry Bridges Boulevard, Alameda Street and Henry Ford Avenue. The same FAQ says the agency aims to push commercial trucks off city streets and onto the freeway system, and that it expects Pacific Coast Highway not to be a designated detour.

Caltrans is already improving those routes. The fact sheet lists resurfacing and striping, traffic cameras and temporary signals. During the closure, traffic control officers will be posted at 18 key intersections as needed, and local police will expand commercial-truck enforcement. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is among the agencies involved in deploying the officers, according to the FAQ. Caltrans also notes the City of Los Angeles postponed its Alameda South widening project until after the deck replacement.

What the ports say

The Port of Los Angeles says all of its terminals will remain open with no expected impact to cargo productivity, flow or capacity. It says only 8% of port-complex drayage truck traffic uses the Vincent Thomas Bridge and that rail cargo is unaffected, though local detours may add time for truck drivers.

Next door, Port of Long Beach CEO Noel Hacegaba said at an Oct. 15 briefing that the closure "will not affect operations here at the Port of Long Beach," and that terminals will add extra shifts for six weeks around the closure, as reported by AJOT.

A separate $130 million State Route 47 interchange project, led jointly by the Port of Los Angeles and Caltrans, is under construction with completion scheduled for December 2026, according to the port.

Who is affected

Residents and commuters in San Pedro, Wilmington, Terminal Island and Long Beach should expect changes. Caltrans said it expects minimal impacts on schools along Pacific Coast Highway and is working with the Los Angeles Unified School District on bus access and with LAUSD and LADOT on crossing guards. Businesses that believe they lost revenue from the project may submit a claim; the FAQ lists (213) 897-0816 for questions.

Why it matters

The bridge is a direct link for a port complex that just posted record cargo volumes. A closure of this length, combined with record imports, raises questions about truck behavior on neighborhood streets. Caltrans' FAQ says the Traffic Management Plan is not a legally enforceable document and that enforcement will rely on local ordinances restricting commercial trucks.

What's next

  • Now to Nov. 6: preliminary work, including temporary platforms and bracing on the bridge, and road improvements on detour routes.
  • Nov. 7: full closure begins.
  • December 2026: the SR 47 interchange project is scheduled for completion.
  • Early 2028: planned reopening, followed by a final phase to remove temporary features and install seismic sensors and utilities.
  • Stay informed: Caltrans runs a project email (vtbproject@dot.ca.gov) and the QuickMap traffic app; the port offers email alerts.

Want more local news? Read more at The Southbound 105.

Cover photo: DanielMichaelPerry, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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