Long Beach's New Port Bridge Gets A Name: Long Beach International Gateway
LONG BEACH (CBSLA) — The new bridge traversing the Port of Long Beach finally got a name Monday.
The span that replaced the Gerald Desmond Bridge will be named the "Long Beach International Gateway," according to Sen. Lena Gonzalez and Assemblyman Patrick O'Donnell, both D-Long Beach.
"The community has spoken and they made a great choice," O'Donnell said in a statement. "The name `Long Beach International Gateway Bridge' appropriately signifies Long Beach as the gateway to the American economy. Thank you to the community for helping us in this very important endeavor."
The name was chosen through a public survey. The old bridge was named for a former Long Beach city attorney.
The new six-lane bridge opened to traffic in early October.
The bridge, which connects the 710 Freeway to the shipping yards on Terminal Island, has been under construction since 2013.
The new structure is 205 feet above the water, 50 feet higher than the old bridge to accommodate larger, greener vessels.
It's also wider than the old bridge, with three lanes of traffic in both directions, and will include four safety lanes for potential accidents and access for emergency vehicles.
"I am very thankful for all the input we received from our community to choose a name for the new Long Beach bridge," Gonzalez said. "This iconic state landmark will connect us to the rest of the world for decades to come, and it is now time to formalize its name."
With the community survey completed, Gonzalez and O'Donnell announced they have introduced an Assembly concurrent resolution for the Legislature to formally approve the moniker.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
