LONG BEACH, CA-Earlier this year, GlobeSt.com reported that the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners approved a $942-million budget for fiscal year 2013. That includes an investment in infrastructure modernization, according to the Port. Port executive director J. Christopher Lytle noted at the time that the growth in capital investment comes mainly from two large construction projects that have already begun at the Port: the Middle Harbor Terminal Project and preliminary work for the replacement of the Gerald Desmond Bridge.
And now one of those projects is taking one huge step forward. The $1-billion bridge replacement project officially moved dirt yesterday. According to a prepared statement, the structure will be one of the tallest of its kind—towers will reach 500 feet above ground level.
The new bridge will include additional traffic lanes, a higher clearance to accommodate the new generation of cargo ships, dedicated bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways, including scenic overlooks 200 feet above the water, according to a statement. The design-build project is expected to create about 3,000 jobs a year, on average, for three years and the $1 billion in construction-related spending is expected to generate regional economic activity of about $2 billion.
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Check back later today for more on the project and its economic impact.
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