The Vincent Thomas Bridge is set to close for a major repair job on Nov. 1.
And that’s around the same time that the predicted super El Niño weather event could be getting into full swing.
It’s not uncommon to have construction projects delayed by inclement weather — especially when the work is being done outside.
But while the weather could pose some issues for the bridge’s deck replacement project, a Caltrans spokesperson said, the work is still expected to be completed and reopened within the slated time schedule.
Altogether, the planned Deck Replacement Project. being overseen by the California Department of Transportation, is expected to take 16 months. And the project already has required a yearslong planning and preparation process that predates the winter El Niño forecast.
Forecasts anticipate a significantly wetter and stormier winter for the 2026-27 season in Los Angeles County.
With the bridge slated to reopen in March 2028, in time for the Summer Olympics, could the weather impact that deadline?
Nathan Bass, a Caltrans spokesperson, said additional planning is underway to deal with the anticipated weather issues. But “rain alone” would not necessarily stop work, he said — and the bridge’s reopening date is not expected to be delayed.
Some weather, however, could cause temporary pauses in the work along the way, Bass said.
“Temporary stoppages,” he said, “could be triggered by high windspeed, reduced visibility, and other storm conditions that render the worksite unsafe to workers and for the operation of heavy equipment, such as the gantry crane that will be used for this project.”
But, Bass said, no delays are anticipated when it comes to fully reopening the bridge by March 2028.
“The construction schedule,” he said, “accounts for the likely scenario that hazardous storm conditions may cause brief pauses in construction during the planned 16-month bridge closure.”
Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker’s office is in close contact with Caltrans, meeting regularly with the agency, said Sophie Gilchrist, a spokesperson for the 15th Council District, which includes San Pedro and the Vincent Thomas Bridge.
“We’ve been advised that rain events alone should not impact the timeline,” Gilchrist said in an email. “We will defer to Caltrans on how rain or severe weather could affect the specific work activities of their contractors and the construction schedule.”
McOsker and his staff, Gilchrist said, are focused on making sure communities “are prepared for both the Vincent Thomas Bridge closure and the possibility of significant rain this winter.”
“We know the 16-month closure will already change traffic patterns throughout the Harbor Area,” she said, “so we are particularly mindful of how a major storm could create additional challenges along detour routes and on streets throughout our communities.”
The council office, she said, is working with Caltrans and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation on those detour routes, making sure needed repairs and repaving along those roadways are completed before work begins.
Preparations for the upcoming rain season, meanwhile, include sending the office’s Clean 15 crews out to clear curbs and gutters of leaves, trash and debris in advance to help keep water moving and reduce the risk of flooding, Gilchrist said.
Aides are also driving through neighborhoods, Gilchrist added, and encouraging residents to report clogged storm drains and other issues. Sandbags and other assistance is also being made available.
Before the deck replacement work launches on Nov. 1, partial and temporary closures on the bridge are ongoing, with construction platforms being built, among other preparations. The iconic Vincent-Thomas Bridge is about a mile long and stretches over the Port of Los Angeles’ main shipping channel. It also connects San Pedro to Terminal Island and to Long Beach beyond that.
There will also be community informational meetings in October. The schedule for those meetings are:
- 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Wilmington Recreation Center, 325 N. Neptune Ave., in Wilmington.
- 6-8 p.m. Oct. 8 at Peck Park Community Center, 560 N. Western Ave., in San Pedro.
- 6-8 p.m. Oct. 14, virtual meeting only. To join online, go to zoom.us/j/89095512946, or call 669-900-6833 or 833-548-0282. The webinar ID is 890 9551 2946.
The meetings will highlight the project’s status and construction schedule.
More details about the project are available at the Caltrans website.