$1.5 billion Port of Long Beach bridge finally has a name

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The Port of Long Beach’s new $1.5 billion bridge finally has a name following approval by the California Senate.

The massive cable-stayed span was designated as the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge, the port said Wednesday.

“The new name reflects that this truly is a bridge to everywhere by connecting Long Beach to the rest of the world as a critical link in the global supply chain,” port Executive Director Mario Cordero said in a statement.

The bridge opened in 2020 as part of the state highway system and the port handed over ownership to the California Department of Transportation, which left it up to the state Legislature to give it a name.

The six-lane bridge, with two towers rising 515 feet (157 meters) high, connects downtown Long Beach to the port’s Terminal Island.

The new span replaced the Gerald Desmond Bridge, which opened in 1968 and was named after the former city official who secured its funding. Demolition of the old bridge is underway.

The new bridge is higher and wider, to allow bigger ships to pass underneath and to improve vehicle traffic flow.