Shoemaker Bridge closures planned for Oct. 26

The northbound lanes of the Shoemaker Bridge in Long Beach will temporarily close for repairs on Saturday, resulting in traffic restrictions to several nearby roadways and freeway on ramps connecting downtown Long Beach and the Port to the northbound 710 Freeway.

Crews are scheduled from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, to make repairs to the Shoemaker Bridge, which was damaged when cargo carried by a truck struck the span’s underside in January.

During the repair work, the Third Street, Seventh Street and Pico Avenue on-ramps to the northbound 710 Freeway will be closed. There will also be no access from Ocean Boulevard in downtown Long Beach to the northbound 710. Meanwhile, the eastbound Long Beach International Gateway Bridge connector to the northbound 710 will be narrowed to one lane.

Motorists in downtown Long Beach should utilize surface streets to go north to Anaheim Street from which they can access the northbound 710. In the Port, northbound Harbor Scenic Drive will be closed from Harbor Plaza, along with the Queensway Drive and Pico Avenue connectors to northbound Harbor Scenic Drive. Vehicles will be detoured to Harbor Plaza to access northbound Pico and the westbound Long Beach International Gateway Bridge. To reach the northbound 710, motorists can take the northbound State Route 47 to eastbound Anaheim Street.

While the project may finish early, motorists should still take precautions and plan to use the road detours throughout the weekend. One additional temporary weekend closure will be needed to complete painting of the repaired area. That weekend has not been scheduled yet.

A full replacement of the Shoemaker Bridge is planned by the City of Long Beach. Additional information is available on the City’s project website.

The Port of Long Beach is a global leader in green port initiatives and top-notch customer service, moving cargo with reliability, speed and efficiency. As the premier U.S. gateway for trans-Pacific trade, the Port handles trade valued at $200 billion annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the United States, including 575,000 in Southern California. In 2024, industry leaders named it “The Best West Coast Seaport in North America” for the sixth consecutive year. During the next 10 years, the Port is planning $2.3 billion in capital improvements aimed at enhancing capacity, competitiveness and sustainability.