City of Long Beach Unveils Proposed Design for Shoemaker Bridge Replacement
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Long Beach, CA ~ The City of Long Beach is preparing for the LA2028 Olympic Games with the unveiling of the proposed design of the new Shoemaker Bridge. On Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023, the Department of Public Works hosted an in-person community meeting at the Jenny Oropeza Community Center to inform participants of the bridge replacement project details and adjacent supporting projects.

Mayor Rex Richardson expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying "Long Beach will be home to yet another jewel. The new Shoemaker Bridge will be the first monument people see when they visit Long Beach. Projects like this will permanently transform the city landscape to re-connect communities, bring vital economic development to the region, and welcome visitors from all over the world to Long Beach."

The proposed Shoemaker Bridge design will be a four-lane, cable-stayed bridge carrying traffic from I-710 to a new elevated roundabout connecting Shoemaker Bridge to 7th Street and Shoreline Drive. The bridge will also have a protected shared-use path that connects Fashion Avenue in West Long Beach to a realigned Los Angeles River Maintenance Access Road/Class I Bike Path on the east bank of the Los Angeles River as well as Downtown Long Beach. Additionally, there will be a pedestrian observation area in the middle of the bridge's south side.

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The modern cable-stayed bridge will utilize stay cables, tiebacks, structural steel and post-tension concrete with a height of approximately 240 feet above average high-water level and 765 feet wide from tip-to-tip of its rings. It is being designed to withstand seismic activity, sea level rise and other climate change related effects such as severe weather and high winds. The reduction of bridge piers in the Los Angeles River from five to two will improve its hydraulic qualities by creating more space for aquatic and amphibious wildlife while also incorporating an aesthetic lighting system that provides greater control of sky glow and light spillover so it does not stray into or up into the river or sky respectively.

The current Shoemaker Bridge was originally constructed in 1953 but is nearing its end due to its high traffic accident rate; thus necessitating its replacement with one that meets updated structural and geometric design standards for improved safety. The City was recently awarded a $30 million Department of Transportation grant for completing designs for realigning Shoreline Drive which serves as an important step towards replacing Shoemaker Bridge while doubling open green space for recreation at Cesar E Chavez Park (401 Golden Ave.) and Drake Park (951 Maine Ave.).

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First District Councilwoman Mary Zendejas commented on how this project would benefit other parts of her district saying "The vision for this project is to reconnect communities and one of those ways is to add six new acres of parkland that wasn't previously accessible" while Eric Lopez, Director of Public Works added "Thanks to support from Federal Government Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill for Shoreline Drive Realignment, we can begin reconnecting communities with safer streetscapes that are more accessible"

The Shoemaker Bridge Replacement project combined with Shoreline Drive Realignment aims at increasing multi-modal connectivity within project limits while enhancing safety elements by providing bicycle pedestrian improvements on major thoroughfares as well as addressing nonstandard features and bridge design elements that enhance structural integrity.

On Tuesday Dec 12th ,the Department Of Public Works will request approval from Long Beach City Council during their 5pm meeting at Civic Chambers so they can assume responsibility for current Shoemaker Bridge before beginning permitting process . Community members are invited share their input during this meeting . For more information or sign up receive regular updates please visit longbeach .gov/shoemakerbridgeproject

Filed Under: Government, City
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