(Update: RoadTraffic-Technology article)
...a cable stay bridge that is to open Oct 5, 2020. [NewGDbridge]
Several articles mentioned that the bridge carries 15% of all imports that arrive to the country. If that many containers are being hauled by truck, then what is being hauled by railroad? It turns out that "this complex" handles 40% of the nation's imports. [WeBuildValue] I see from a map that "this complex" includes Los Angeles as well as Long Beach. Even if some of the truck traffic doesn't use this bridge, 40% still leaves a lot of containers for UP and BNSF.
This 1968 bridge is being replaced by...
 |
| Los Angeles Public Library Collection via Bridge Hunter |
 |
| Caltrans |
 |
| Photo by Erick Fredericks via Historic Bridges via www.flickr.com/photos/neighborhoods/, License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike (CC BY-SA) |
 |
| image for We Build Value |
In Aug 2019 they were expecting the bridge to open in April 2020. [lbbusinessjournal] Funding was approved in 2010 and "work" began in 2013. [WeBuildValue] If that "work" includes the planning and permit process, as well as the construction, then seven years is not too bad. If that "work" is just construction, then I have to wonder if something went wrong. I saw another expected completion date of Dec 2019, but I lost track of when that estimate was made. In March 2012 the were predicting it would be open in 2016. [Bridge Hunter comment] Ongoing schedule slips is an indication that something did go wrong. I saw a cost figure of $1.47b. Evidently that was the final cost because I saw an estimate of $828m and four years of construction. [shimmick]
The new bridge has a clearance of 205', which is 50' higher than the old bridge. The towers are the second tallest in the USA. This is the first cable-stayed bridge in California for vehicular traffic. [WeBuildValue] I thought 2020 was rather late to be the first, but then I remembered that this bridge was planned over a decade ago. The adjective of "vehicular" must mean that California has some rather impressive trail bridges.
CaDOT saved the cost of another painting. This photo provides a closeup of the travelling gantries that raised the prebuilt deck segments. That is one advantage of building over a big river, you can barge in the components.
 |
| Peter Reinold, Jan 2020 |
This photo shows that the navigation span is much longer.
 |
| Mark Strickland, Jan 2020 |
CaDOT saved the cost of another painting. This photo provides a closeup of the travelling gantries that raised the prebuilt deck segments. That is one advantage of building over a big river, you can barge in the components.
 |
| Mark Strickland, Jan 2020 |
WeBuildValue stated "By December of last year, workers reached a major milestone with the completion of the project’s two" towers. And it was dated Aug 2018. So that means the towers were finished in Dec 2017. So the Dec 2019 date on this photo must have been when it was uploaded, not when it was taken.
 |
| Infidel777 Patriot, Dec 2019 |
 |
| Photo by Brandon Richardson via lbbusinessjournal via Bridge Hunter, License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike (CC BY-SA) [The article is about demolition of the old bridge. One of the problems to be solved is how to move two falcons that have been nesting under the old bridge to the new bridge.] |
Several articles mentioned that the bridge carries 15% of all imports that arrive to the country. If that many containers are being hauled by truck, then what is being hauled by railroad? It turns out that "this complex" handles 40% of the nation's imports. [WeBuildValue] I see from a map that "this complex" includes Los Angeles as well as Long Beach. Even if some of the truck traffic doesn't use this bridge, 40% still leaves a lot of containers for UP and BNSF.
 |
Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project postedThe opening ceremony featured a boat parade passing underneath the new bridge, led by water-spouting fireboats. Thanks to Instagram user mxsocal for this epic shot! Bridges Now and Then shared |
Update:
 |
| safe_image for Port of Los Angeles Reports Busiest Month Ever on Loaded Imports, Empty Exports MSC Isabella at the Port of Los Angeles. Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles |
Sept 10th:
 |
| safe_image for Number of ships waiting for berth space outside LA and Long Beach set to top 50 "The extraordinary congestion seen at America’s main two west coast ports is far worse than the port lockout days of 2002 and 2004. When the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were locked out for 10 days and eight days in 2002 and 2004 respectively, ship queues never exceeded 30 vessels, and yet the the port lockdowns caused significant economic chaos." |
Sep 14th: 56 ships
 |
| safe_image for An all-time high of 56 cargo ships are stuck waiting off the California coast, as shipping ports hit their 4th record backup in three weeks Dennis DeBruler: It makes me wonder why some of those ships didn't head to Vancouver and use CN+INRD to Indianapolis for their Midwest cargo. I presume that east coast cargo now uses the new Panama Canal locks. Aaron Barthel: Dennis DeBruler Vancouver (and Prince Rupert) aren't really in any better shape. Not nearly as bad as LA/Long Beach, however. |
Sep 16th: >60 ships
 |
| safe_image for Vessels now waiting up to three weeks for Californian berth space, boxship queue surpasses 60 |
Sep 21st: 65 ships
 |
| safe_image for Some 65 cargo ships have been forced to queue outside two of America's biggest ports, in the latest sign of supply chain disruption hitting the US |
Oct 17, 2021: 70+ ships (normally, none have to wait)
No comments:
Post a Comment