Just over two months after the new crossing opened to traffic, energy-saving LED lights were turned on to illuminate the two 157m-tall towers and 80 cables holding the main span portion of the 3km-long bridge. The lights will be pre-programmed to mark holidays, such as Independence Day and Christmas, and special occasions, such as the Olympics and Pride Month.
“We all know the Port of Long Beach is incredibly important to our local and national economy. Thousands of people depend on these good-paying jobs. This bridge connects us to our neighbors in Los Angeles and across the country,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We couldn’t be more excited that this bridge is going to light up every single night. This will be very visible as folks come in and out of our great city.”
The new bridge replaces the shorter, narrower and functionally obsolete Gerald Desmond Bridge, offering greater resiliency in an earthquake and a 100-year minimum lifespan. The replacement crossing will eventually be named through legislative action and is one of the tallest cable-stayed bridges in the USA and the first of its kind in California.
