California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Route 47

The early history of this route is complicated, and tied up with Route 710. It centers around LRN 167, LRN 231, and the future I-710, Route 47 and Route 103.

In 1933, the route from "Long Beach via Atlantic Boulevard to [LRN 26] near Monterey Park" was added to the state highway system. In 1935, it was added to the highway code as LRN 167, with the same routing. Note the starting point of the route is not the Port of Los Angeles -- it is Pacific Coast Highway (US 101A, US 6) in the city of Long Beach. This is what would eventually become Route 710.

Leg Rte 231? In 1949, Chapter 1261 defined LRN 231 as

“[LRN 165] in San Pedro to [LRN 167] in Long Beach, via the mainland portion of Long Beach Outer Harbor and Terminal Island, subject to the following conditions:

1. Except as provided in paragraph number 2, no expenditure shall be made from state highway funds for the acquisition of rights of way for or construction, improvement, or maintenance of said highway until the following conditions have been met:

(a) The Federal Government shall have made available all funds necessary for the construction of said route, other than funds provided under paragraph 2.

(b) The Federal Government and the Cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach shall have granted a sufficient and adequate right of way without cost to the State of California for that portion of said route traversing lands owned or controlled by each of them.

(c) The authorized representatives of the Cities of Los Angeles and Long Beach and the appropriate agency of the Federal Government shall have approved the proposed alignment and the proposed location of all major structures on the route submitted by the State Department of Public Works.

2. Any city or county may contribute to, and the California Highway Commission may allocate monies from the State Highway Fund for the improvement of portions of [LRN 231] on the mainland when such improvement is found necessary to complete and integrated system of freeways between San Pedro, Long Beach, and the Civic Center in the City of Los Angeles.

3. If funds from sources other than state highway funds have not been made available for the construction on all portions of said [LRN 231] that are not on the mainland prior to January 15, 1953, said [LRN 231] shall on that date cease to be a state highway and this section shall have no further force or effect. ”

LRN 231 referred to a proposal for a potential toll highway that would include two channel crossings from San Pedro to Terminal Island (what eventually became the Vincent Thomas Bridge), and from Terminal Island to Long Beach (replacing the pontoon bridge -- what became the Gerald Desmond bridge). These were planned to be tube crossings, with the San Pedro-Terminal Island tube estimated at $10 million. The other tube had a similar estimate, but financing was not possible at the time. The route also incorporated the Federally-constructed Terminal Island Freeway, and extended it from Willow Blvd to the Los Angeles River Freeway (LRN 167, former Route 15, current I-710). The definition of LRN 231 required the government to come up with the funds, and so LRN 231 disappeared in 1953.
(Source: 1956 Report to the California Toll Bridge Authority on a Proposed Toll Highway Crossing of Los Angeles Harbor from San Pedro to Terminal Island)

That said, there was still the Terminal Island Freeway. The initial segment of the route ran from Henry Ford Avenue to Willow St, and also include the portion of Henry Ford from Seaside. But this wasn't originally part of the state highway system. The segment from Seaside Blvd to Willow St. (3.1 mi) was designed by the State Division of Highways and constructed under State and US Navy contracts, and financed by the US Navy and Federal Aid Funds for $12 million. The State Division of Highways was reimbursed in full for its services. At one point, this was called the "Seaside Freeway".

In 1957, Chapter 1911 extended the origin of LRN 167 to [LRN 165] (Harbor Freeway): “[LRN 165] in San Pedro ~~Long Beach~~ to Huntington Drive via Long Beach”. This incorporated Seaside Blvd, and provided a different route for the connection betwen LRN 165 and LRN 167 from the deleted LRN 231 routing. This created the routing for future Route 7/I-710 to San Pedro instead of Long Beach. But as one can see from the map, the routing wasn't quite the current routing yet.

In 1958, Chapter 74 added the San Pedro-Terminal Island Bridge to LRN 167: "[LRN 165] in San Pedro to Huntington Drive via Long Beach, and including a bridge with at least four lanes from San Pedro at or near Boschke Slough to Terminal Island". See below for more information on the bridge, which was eventually named the Vincent Thomas Bridge. The recommendation for the bridge was likely a consequence of the cost of the tube.

In 1959, Chapter 1062 defined LRN 270 as “Terminal Island to [LRN 173]”. This was the proposed "Industrial" Freeway, which ran from LRN 167 to I-10. This eventually would become the portion of Route 47 along Henry Ford Avenue.

By 1960, the routing in the port had assumed the current approach running to Route 47 (portions of which were LRN 167 across the Vincent Thomas Bridge). Setting aside the Seaside Freeway portion, this was LRN 270 between Seaside Blvd (Route 47/Route 103 junction) and the future I-10 (LRN 173). The LRN 167 portion (between Long Beach and San Pedro) was a 1957 extension of LRN 167; the LRN 270 portion was defined in 1959.

Sign Route 47 was not allocated as part of the initial state signage of routes in 1934. It is unclear if any route was signed as Sign Route 47 before 1964.

Vincent Thomas Bridge ( (~ LA 1.334 to LA 1.683)

Vincent Thomas Bridge (Wikimedia Commons) Before 1957, when LRN 167 was extended to the Harbor Freeway (LRN 165), ferry service was the only means of transport across the Terminal Island channel for decades. Beginning in 1870, private ferry service provided carried travelers between the two locations. In 1941 the Municipal Ferry Service provided regularly scheduled services for passengers and vehicles between Terminal Island and San Pedro aboard its double decked ferries, “Islander” and “Ace”. In November 1963, ferry services were ceased when the Vincent Thomas Bridge was opened.
(Source: Palos Verdes Pulse, 8/8/2020; Image source: Wikimedia Commons - Original photo © 2009 Chris Valle per Wikimedia licensed and shared via Creative Commons)

From 1937 until 1957, various proposals were considered regarding construction of a tube tunnel connecting the Harbor and Long Beach freeways. Engineers concluded that a four-lane bridge could be built for slightly more than the two-lane tube.

The proposed Terminal Island Bridge appeared as a concept drawing in the May/June 1959 California Highways & Public Works. The article noted the California Highway Commision on April 30, 1959, decided to fund the Terminal Island Bridge as a tolled facility. The Terminal Island Bridge project area was described as being approximately 7,400 feet, and was to be constructed a short distance north of the Terminal Island Ferry route in San Pedro at the planned Harbor Freeway extension. It would tie into Seaside Avenue on Terminal Island near Mormon Street. In 1959, the Terminal Island Bridge was adopted as part of a 1.6-mile freeway by the California Highway Commission. A groundbreaking ceremony commencing construction of the Terminal Island Bridge took place on May 28, 1960.
(Source: Gribblenation Blog (Tom Fearer), “California State Route 47 and the Vincent Thomas Bridge”, April 2022)

Completed in 1963, the San Pedro-Terminal Island Bridge, renamed the Vincent Thomas Bridge in 1961, was the first bridge of its kind to be constructed from 990 steel poles, known as piles, that were hammered into the soil until they reached a layer of hard compacted soil or rock. Construction required 92,000 tons of Portland cement, 13,000 tons of lightweight concrete, 14,100 tons of steel and 1,270 tons of suspension cable. This was the first welded suspension bridge built in the U.S. and can withstand 90 mph winds, double that required by code. The overall length of the bridge is 6,050 feet, with a main suspension span of 1,500 feet and 500-foot spans on either side. The towers are 365 feet high. The entire construction bill totaled $21 million. The Vincent Thomas Bridge was determined eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Caltrans Historic Bridge Inventory Update of 2010. The bridge is eligible for engineering significance. In addition to being a rare bridge type of "exceptional span length, monumental scale and design complexity," it is the first suspension bridge in the United States not to use rivets in its construction.
(Source: San Pedro.Com — Vincent Thomas Bridge, May 2021; Bridgehunter, May 2021; Palos Verdes Pulse, 8/8/2020)

In 1968, the bridge was connected into the Harbor Freeway.

Originally, a $0.25 toll was assessed for each westbound and eastbound vehicle. In 1983, a $0.50 toll was assessed to westbound bound traffic only. The toll charge was discontinued in 2000. The Toll Plaza now serves as a field facility for the California Highway Patrol. The toll was initiated when the bridge opened Nov. 15, 1963, to pay off a $26-million construction bill. Only $6.2 million was owed by 1999, and $14 million was in the bridge’s reserves.
(Source: Los Angeles Times, 11/26/1999; Palos Verdes Pulse, 8/8/2020)

As plans were made to open the bridge, the California legislature passed special legislation to name the bridge after California Assembly Member, Vincent Thomas. Assembly Member Mr. Thomas began his term in the California Assembly in 1940 representing the City of San Pedro and surrounding area. At the time of the legislation, he was the longest serving member of the Assembly and had supported over 16 different pieces of legislation supporting the bridge’s construction. Assembly Member Thomas left the Assembly after serving 19 Assembly terms for a total of 38 years in 1978.
(Source: Palos Verdes Pulse, 8/8/2020)

After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, Caltrans began an extensive, multibillion-dollar retrofitting of all toll bridges in the state. The Vincent Thomas was one of the first completed, in March 2000. The $8 million left in the bridge’s reserves was applied to paying for the retrofitting.
(Source: Los Angeles Times, 11/26/1999)

The bridge is repainted regularly. A cycle takes 12 years and is begun anew as soon as it is finished. The bridge was pained bright green when it opened and remained that way until 1983. In 1999, after 16 years of coating the bridge with a plain green, the painters will restore the span to its original iridescent green glory. The bright color was dropped in 1983 because the paint released a residue that was not environmentally sound. But paint technology has since advanced, and the iridescent shade is now safe.
(Source: Los Angeles Times, 11/26/1999)

In celebration of its 25th anniversary in 1988, a fundraiser project provided $170,000 to install decorative lights on the bridge’s main cables. In 2004, after 17 years of planning and fundraising, the bridge was modified to add blue LED lighting. In January 2005, the Vincent Thomas Bridge Lighting ceremony was held. The bridge is illuminated with blue LED lights that are powered by solar panels. The solar panels feed more electricity into the grid during the day than the LED lights use at night. There are 160 lights on the bridge and it is the first combined use of solar power and LEDs in a bridge lighting installation. The lights operate from dusk to midnight in order to minimize impact on wildlife.
(Source: San Pedro.Com — Vincent Thomas Bridge, May 2021)

The dramatic green bridge is designated as the official landmark welcoming visitors to Los Angeles.
(Source: Palos Verdes Pulse, 8/8/2020; San Pedro.Com — Vincent Thomas Bridge, May 2021)

The portion between Route 110 to Route 103 and from Route 103 to Route 10 is unconstructed as freeway. Sections from Route 103 to Route 91 are part of the Los Angeles demonstration project. The state will assume maintenance when the route is brought up to standards, which includes adequate widening.

According to the 2013 Traversable Highways report, the segment from the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Route 103 are to be improved. When this segment is improved, it will be considered for assumption of
maintenance. Projects are under construction. For the segment from Route 103 to Route 91, a new controlled access facility is planned for this segment (but I'll believe that when I see that, as I've seen nothing new since 2013).

Note: For information on the Gerald Desmond Bridge or the Shoemaker Bridge, see Route 710.

Route 47/I-110 Connector (~ LA R0.076)

In August 2012, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding a project that will widen the Route 47/I-110 connector from one to two lanes (~ LA R0.076), extend the additional through lane on the northbound I-110 past the John S. Gibson Boulevard off-ramp, modify the northbound ramps at the I-110/John S. Gibson Boulevard interchange, and improve the intersection of John S. Gibson Boulevard and the northbound I-110 ramps. The project is programmed in the Trade Corridor Improvement Fund. The total estimated cost is $39,068,000 for capital and support. Construction is estimated to begin in Fiscal Year 2012-13. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope programmed in the Trade Corridor Improvement Fund.

The SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

High Priority Project #2885: I-110/Route 47/Harbor Blvd. Interchange Improvements, San Pedro. $4,000,000. (~ LA 0.74)

In March 2021, it was reported that a design to revamp the busy San Pedro interchange from Route 110 onto the Vincent Thomas Bridge and Harbor Boulevard has been delayed after soft, clay-like soil was discovered on part of the property. The soil can settle up to 26 inches, requiring additional work on the site for drainage, landscaping and retaining wall support, according to a staff report to a March 2021 Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners meeting. It will cost an additional $1.9 million. The project, near Knoll Hill, was initially slated to be completed in 2023, but now that will be pushed back to December 2025, at the latest, due to the extra work, port officials said during the board meeting. The finished designs should be ready by the end of this year, with construction starting in November 2022. Under this plan, the existing Harbor Boulevard offramp that takes cars and trucks off the southbound Harbor Freeway will be widened with a second dedicated right-hand lane, leaving one lane to take traffic straight across Harbor Boulevard and onto Swinford Street. The changes also will assist truck traffic using port terminals in the northern part of the Main Channel. Safety and congestion issues have plagued the spot where the southbound I-110 peels off onto a connector road for the Vincent Thomas Bridge and the adjacent offramp that takes traffic to Harbor Boulevard. Jockeying to merge has resulted in weaving as traffic approaches the intersection, according to the staff report, and vehicles typically back up onto both off-ramps during peak times. The now-delayed plan will reconfigure the interchange of State Route 47 and Harbor Boulevard as a way to cut down the backed-up traffic.
(Source: Daily Breeze, 3/5/2021)

State Route 47/Vincent Thomas Bridge and Front Street/Harbor Boulevard Interchange Reconfiguration Project (07-LA-47, PM 0.3/0.8)

In May 2023, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding the following project for which a ND and an Addendum has been completed: Route 47 in Los Angeles County (07-LA-47, PM 0.3/0.8). Modify the existing onramps and offramps to improve safety, access, and the efficient operation of Route 47/Front Street/Harbor Boulevard Interchange, in Los Angeles County. (PPNO 5088) This project is located on Route 47 from postmile 0.3 to postmile 0.8, in Los Angeles County. The Department proposes to modify the existing onramps and offramps to improve safety, access, and the efficient operation of Route 47/Front Street/Harbor Boulevard Interchange. The project is currently programmed in the 2020 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for a total of $70,500,000, which includes $13,383,000 in Senate Bill 1 Trade Corridor Enhancement Program Funds. Construction is estimated to begin 2020-21. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope as programmed by the Commission in the 2020 STIP.
(Source: May 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.2c.(1))

In May 2023, the CTC approved the following CONST allocation for the following locally-administered TCEP project: $13,383,000. 07-LA-47 0.3/0.8. PPNO 07-5088; ProjId 0715000304, EA 4CONL. State Route 47-Vincent Thomas Bridge and Harbor Boulevard-Front Street Interchange Improvement Project. The project entails modifying the existing on- and off-ramps to improve safety, access, and the efficient operation of the Route 47 / Front Street / Harbor Boulevard Interchange. CEQA - ND, 09/28/2018; Re-validation 08/01/2022 NEPA - FONSI, 09/28/2018; Re-validation 08/01/2022. Right of Way Certification: 03/15/2023 Contribution from other sources: $79,592,000. Concurrent consideration of funding approved under Resolution E-23-59; May 2023. Time extension for FY 21-22 CONST expires June 30,2023. CONST $13,383,000.
(Source: May 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5s.(7))

Vincent Thomas Bridge (R0.4/2.0)

The SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

High Priority Project #297: A study of the Vincent Thomas Bridge to meet future cargo and passenger traffic needs of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. $1,600,000. (~ LA 1.334 to LA 1.683)

Opened in 1963, the distinctive — and much loved — emerald green suspension bridge was part of the focus of a 2003 traffic congestion study commissioned by the Port of Los Angeles. The primary problems, according to agency information gathered and provided by Caltrans District 7, are twofold: a deterioration of the deck due to saltwater and moisture on the structural steel. To address this, a permanent crew of 10 bridge painters maintains the coating of the structural steel full-time. The 2003 report by Meyer, Mohaddes Associates Inc. concluded that the bridge could reach its capacity as early as 2010 in light of the growing port traffic. “A range of alternatives must be evaluated,” the report said, “including modification/upgrade of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, replacement of the bridge with a facility with greater capacity, (or) other network improvements.” A later port traffic study also looked at some bridge possibilities on the table, including adding a second bridge that could run parallel to the Vincent Thomas. Building an adjacent bridge would, according to the information Caltrans gathered, be the only way to “widen” the bridge. A more recent study mostly examined ways to improve the existing structure by improving transition roads and on- and off-ramps serving the bridge as the more practical way to ease gridlock. Recent improvements have been made — including adding a lane at the busy transition nexus between the bridge and Route 110 north — that have eased the congestion on the bridge. Another plan is to reconfigure the interchange of Route 47 and Harbor Boulevard. That will be aimed at cutting down the backed-up traffic on off-ramps during peak hours, a situation that’s expected to get worse with growing traffic. The project was is in an environmental study stage in 2020, and is expected to go out to bid in 2022. The Vincent Thomas is considered small by today’s bridge engineering standards. It’s up to date with seismic improvements made in 2018, although an accident or stalled vehicle can still cause a major and lengthy backup on the two-lane roadway.
(Source: Press Telegram, 10/2/2020)

In January 2023, the CTC added the following SB1 project into the 2022 SHOPP: (1b) #1. 07-LA-47 R0.4/2.0. PPNO 07-6024; ProjID 0722000334; EA 39020. Route 47 In the city of Los Angeles, near the Port of Long Beach, at Vincent Thomas Bridge № 53-1471. Replace bridge deck and seismic sensors. Allocation ($ × 1,000): PA&ED $17,140; PS&E $20,900; R/W Sup $17; Con Sup $39,840; R/W Cap $30; Const Cap $628,464; TOTAL $706,391. FY25-26. Concurrent COS allocation under Resolution FP-22-45; January 2023. SB1 Baseline Agreement Required. Begin Const: 12/24/2025.
(Source: January 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.1a.(1b) #1)

In January 2023, the CTC approved SB1 pre-construction project phase allocation of $17,140,000. 07-LA-47 R0.4/2.0. PPNO 07-6024; ProjID 0722000334; EA 39020. Route 47 In the city of Los Angeles, near the Port of Long Beach, at Vincent Thomas Bridge № 53-1471. Replace bridge deck and seismic sensors. Concurrent Amendment under SHOPP Amendment 22H-006; January 2023. PA&ED $17,140,000.
(Source: January 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.5b.(2b) #6)

Vincent Thomas Bridge Detour Routes In May 2023, it was reported that Caltrans was holding public meetings on the Vincent Thomas Bridge reconstruction. Construction isn’t expected to start until 2025, but significant preparation is required for the project, which will close or reduce lanes on the Vincent Thomas Bridge for nine months or longer. The historic 6,000-foot span is the only way to access Terminal Island and the Port of Long Beach from the west, and the 60-year-old suspension bridge needs a full deck replacement. The potential detour routes would have the biggest impact on Wilmington, but some traffic caused by the construction would likely spill into Long Beach. Three options for the project are on the table, and Caltrans is gathering feedback to inform the choice: (1) Closing the entire four-lane bridge for nine to 12 months and working day and night until it’s done; (2) Keeping one lane open during the day, with full closure on nights and weekends for one and a half to two years; (3) Opening one lane in each direction with night and weekend closures for two to two and a half years. The latter two choices could also be done without the 55-hour weekend closures, adding about six months to the project. The Vincent Thomas Bridge is being overhauled rather than replaced because it’s registered as a state historical resource, and while the bridge that replaced Gerald Desmond was raised to give clearance to larger ships, Vincent Thomas is already 30 feet higher than the old Gerald Desmond. It cost taxpayers $1.56 billion to build the totally new replacement bridge for the Gerald Desmond, whereas putting down a new deck and bringing the railings, center median and other features up to current safety standards for the Vincent Thomas is projected to cost about $706 million. After the public comment period ends in early Summer 2023, as required by state law, the project will undergo technical studies, and by the end of the year Caltrans will circulate a draft environmental impact report before holding another public meeting to gather more feedback. Studies will continue into 2024, with more public comments included in the report and a final version expected to be released by Spring 2025, according to Caltrans.
(Source: Long Beach Post News, 5/17/2023; Image source: Caltrans via LBPN)

In July 2023, it was reported that there is significant opposition to this: less so for the project itself, and more related to the impact that the closures and reroutings from the construction effort will have on traffic in the neighborhood. For example, one Wilmington resident commented on the high volume of truck traffic that goes through Wilmington on a daily basis is already a big concern, especially on Anaheim and Pacific Coast Highway. Caltrans’ proposed alternate routes would bring more truck traffic and the pollution that comes with it. It was noted that some of the streets in Wilmington are already dangerous, not just from heavy traffic, but also from poorly maintained roads. The Caltrans advisory committees have noted that the most common feedback they’ve received is concerns about the impact on traffic. The project won’t start construction until 2025, but there is incentive to do it quickly. One of the funding condistion is that they have to deliver the project and open the construction by a certain time.
(Source: Random Length News, 7/20/2023)

Under Traffic Congestion Relief Program Project #44, there are plans to construct a grade-separated interchange at Ocean Boulevard and the Terminal Island Freeway (~ LA 3.691), and at Ocean Boulevard and Henry Ford Avenue, including the preparation of plans and specifications, estimates, and related support activities for design and construction. (January 2001 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.1c.(1), project 44; Negative Impact EIR Report, March 2001 CTC Agenda Item 2.2c.(2)). This is currently scheduled for completion in February 2007.

The SAFETEA-LU act, enacted in August 2005 as the reauthorization of TEA-21, provided the following expenditures on or near this route:

High Priority Project #712: The Alameda Corridor/Route 47 Port Access Expressway design. Additional funding seems to be provided by HPP #3797.$8,000,000. (~ LA 3.547 to LA 4.43)
High Priority Project #3797: The Alameda Corridor/Route 47 Port Access Expressway design. This seems to be additional funding for HPP #712. $2,000,000. (~ LA 3.547 to LA 4.43)

Schuyler Heim Bridge Replacement and State Route 47 Expressway Project (07-LA-47, PM 2.7/5.8)

The Commodore Schuyler F. Heim Bridge (Schuyler Heim Bridge) crosses the Cerritos Channel in the Port of Long Beach, was commissioned by the United States Navy between 1946 and 1948, and is one of three bridges that connect Terminal Island to the mainland. The bridge was named for Commodore Schuyler F. Heim, commanding officer of the Terminal Island Naval Base throughout World War II. The United States Navy completed construction of the bridge in 1948 and then turned it over to the City of Long Beach, which operated the bridge until 1974. The bridge is a vertical lift structure with a 73-meter (m) (240-foot [ft]) span. It has an 820-ton movable (lift) span that is supported by two crossbraced steel towers suspended by cables, and a pair of 400+-ton counterweights. Historic records indicate that, by 1951, the Schuyler Heim Bridge showed significant settlement caused by oil extraction in Long Beach Harbor. In 1951, the towers were leaning approximately 3.8 centimeters (cm) (1.5 inches [in]) to the east, and the approach structures had settled as much as 10.2 cm (4.0 in). The combined effects of settlement and leaning created the potential to bind the moveable parts and cause the lift span to fail. Subsequently, the towers were straightened, and additional work was conducted on the approaches, truss bearings, guard rails, pier footings, and lift span guide rollers. During the 1950s, the City of Long Beach pumped groundwater into depleted oil fields beneath the harbor, which mitigated the bridge’s rate of subsidence. However, the harbor continued to sink, requiring bridge repairs. By the end of the decade, the shifting terrain beneath the bridge foundations had caused cracks in the reinforced concrete pillars beneath the bridge, requiring additional repairs. Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, bridge repairs continued for routine maintenance, as well as for damage caused by trucks and marine vessels. In 1987, the Whittier Narrows earthquake (Richter magnitude [M] 5.9) twisted a heavy girder in one of the towers. In 1988, Caltrans initiated a $2 million project to refurbish the bridge to accommodate increased vehicular and marine traffic in response to expansion of the ports. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Schuyler Heim Bridge was determined to be in need of seismic retrofit improvements. A Project Scope Summary Report (PSSR) was completed in 1998 to program the retrofit project and included the plans, specifications, and engineering estimate (PS&E) for the retrofit. During the PS&E phase, it was determined that replacement of the bridge would be more cost-effective and practical than retrofitting the existing bridge to meet seismic requirements for a major earthquake. Therefore, the retrofit design was halted. Subsequently, in consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard, Caltrans developed several fixedspan bridge alternatives. These alternatives met the project purpose of complying with the 1994 state mandate for Caltrans to strengthen its bridges, and met the need to comply with seismic requirements, reduce potential safety hazards to vehicular and marine traffic, and provide a cost-effective solution to the ongoing deterioration of the bridge.
(Source: Route 47 EIR)

[Map] Additionally, Caltrans has historically wanted an expressway in this area, as part of a series of regional transportation improvements at the southern end of the Alameda Corridor. The Route 47 Expressway is cited in the Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan. It would build upon a network of local streets by constructing a high-capacity expressway connecting the Ocean Boulevard/Route 47 Interchange with Alameda Street at Pacific Coast Highway, thereby providing a missing link in the local transportation system. The existing Route 47 extends east from the southern terminus of the Harbor Freeway (I-110) in San Pedro, over the Vincent Thomas Bridge, along Seaside Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, then north across the Cerritos Channel on the Schuyler Heim Bridge, continuing north on Henry Ford Avenue, then onto Alameda Street until its terminus at I-10 in downtown Los Angeles. The Route 103 Expressway is an alternative to the Route 47 Expressway. It also would build upon a network of local streets by constructing a high-capacity expressway that connects existing Route 103, beginning about 0.8 kilometer (km) (0.5 mile [mi]) north of Pacific Coast Highway, to Alameda Street at a point about 0.8 km (0.5 mi) south of the San Diego Freeway (I-405). Currently, to connect from Terminal Island to Alameda Street, vehicles must travel 1.5 km (0.9 mi) north from Ocean Boulevard, then exit at the Henry Ford Avenue off-ramp and travel north through local streets, signalized intersections, and railroad crossings for about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) before joining Alameda Street just south of Pacific Coast Highway. Alameda Street continues north of Pacific Coast Highway for 4.0 km (2.5 mi) and connects to the I-405. About 5.5 km (3.4 mi) north of I-405, Alameda Street connects to the Artesia Freeway (Route 91). The existing Route 103 begins north of the Schuyler Heim Bridge at the Terminal Island Freeway, where Route 47 exits at Henry Ford Avenue. Route 103 continues north to Pacific Coast Highway, where it ends. The Terminal Island Freeway continues past the terminus of Route 103 and ends at Willow Street/Sepulveda Boulevard.
(source)

As a result, Caltrans initiated a $351 million project to start in 2009 with the following goals:

Provide a structurally and seismically safe vehicular connection along the critical northsouth corridor between Terminal Island and the mainland that can remain in service following a major earthquake to ensure that ground and vessel transportation are maintained.
Improve operational and safety design features of the crossing to facilitate the movement of people, freight, and goods, while meeting current design standards to the maximum extent feasible.
Provide a high-capacity alternative route for traffic between Terminal Island and I-405 that reduces traffic congestion and improves safety.

There are a number of alternatives under consideration:

Alternative 1. This alternative involves replacement of the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge, construction of a new Route 47 Expressway to provide a high-capacity alternative route along the Alameda Corridor for traffic between Terminal Island and Alameda Street at Pacific Coast Highway, and construction of a flyover that would divert eastbound Ocean Boulevard traffic directly onto northbound Route 47 and across the new bridge. Construction activities for the replacement bridge and Route 47 Expressway are planned to begin in 2009 and be completed in 2011. Construction of the flyover is planned to begin in 2015 and be completed in 2017. With this alternative, a new fixed-span bridge would be constructed, primarily within the existing bridge right-of-way (ROW), but toward the east to avoid impacts to the railroad on the Badger Bridge, immediately to the west; the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge (lift bridge) would be demolished. The replacement bridge would be 13 m (43 ft) wider than the existing bridge due to the addition of standard shoulders, which are not present on the existing bridge. The replacement bridge would include three 3.6-m (12-ft) lanes (two through-lanes and one auxiliary lane), with 3-m (10-ft) shoulders in the northbound direction, and four 3.6-m (12-ft) lanes (three through-lanes and one auxiliary lane), with 3-m (10-ft) shoulders in the southbound direction. Bridge construction would include a southbound off-ramp and northbound on-ramp at New Dock Street on Terminal Island, as well as a northbound off-ramp and southbound on-ramp at Henry Ford Avenue on the mainland side of the bridge. With this alternative, the new bridge would be supported by four piers in the channel, with a minimum vertical clearance of 14.3 m (47 ft) over the mean high water level (MHWL). This clearance would be maintained for the width of the navigable channel, which would be 54.9 m (180 ft), the same as under existing conditions. The new Route 47 Expressway would begin on Terminal Island, at the intersection of Route 47 and Ocean Boulevard, extending north over New Dock Street and onto the new fixed-span bridge. The expressway would extend northward to Alameda Street, south of the intersection with Pacific Coast Highway, a distance of approximately 2.7 km (1.5 mi). The Ocean Boulevard/Route 47 Flyover (flyover) would begin on Terminal Island, about 1,200 m (3,900 ft) west of the Ocean Boulevard/Route 47 intersection, extend eastward along the south side of Ocean Boulevard, and then turn north, cross over Ocean Boulevard and onto the new bridge. The west end of the flyover would be at grade, then rise to a maximum elevation of 21 m (69 ft) to join the new bridge. The elevated portions of the flyover would be supported by fourteen single-column bents, one 2-column outrigger bent, with a total of 15 spans. The flyover would have an overall length of 830 m (2,723 ft), ending at the northerly end point (gore point) of the northbound New Dock Street on-ramp onto the bridge. The left lane of the flyover would converge with the Route 47 through lane to the left; the right lane of the flyover would continue as a northbound Route 47 through lane and would have the option to continue to Route 47 or SR-103. The flyover would be located entirely within the City and Port of Long Beach.
Alternative 1A. Alternative 1A is a structural variation of Alternative 1. The main purpose of this alternative is to improve the aesthetics of the replacement bridge over the Cerritos Channel and span a greater horizontal distance across the channel between columns. Other aspects of this alternative, the Route 47 Expressway and Ocean Boulevard/Route 47 Flyover, would be the same as described for Alternative 1.
Alternative 2. With this alternative, the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge would be replaced by a fixed-span bridge, and the flyover described under Alternative 1 would be constructed. This alternative also would extend Route 103 to the northwest on a four-lane viaduct to join Alameda Street between Sepulveda Boulevard and I-405. Improvements to Route 103 would begin approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) north of the Schuyler Heim Bridge and extend a distance of approximately 2.6 km (1.6 mi). The viaduct would cross over the Union Pacific Railroad manual yard and San Pedro Branch, through the Southern California Edison (SCE) utility corridor, across the Los Angeles Harbor Department Warehouse 16/17 area, over Sepulveda Boulevard, then parallel the western boundary of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) to the centerline of Alameda Street. The viaduct would slope to grade south of the Wardlow Road ramps to I-405. Improvements would be made to the existing Route 103 to accommodate the southerly and northerly end connections of the viaduct.
Alternative 3. This alternative would preserve the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge and construct a new fixed-span bridge on an alignment east of the existing bridge. Under this alternative, the new bridge would have the same lane configuration as the replacement bridge for Alternative 1. Additionally, the Route 47 Expressway and Ocean Boulevard/Route 47 Flyover described under Alternative 1 would be constructed, and connectivity with SR-103 would be maintained.
Alternative 4. This alternative is provided as a means of constructing a new bridge over the Cerritos Channel and, at the same time, preserving the existing bridge. The Schuyler Heim Bridge has been determined to be a historic property and is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. With Alternative 3, the existing bridge would be retrofitted and left in place, but would not be used. However, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, when a bridge is no longer used for its permitted purpose of providing land transportation, the bridge shall be removed from the waterway. Therefore, removal of the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge would be included as a condition of the federal permit for the replacement bridge. This alternative would replace the existing Schuyler Heim Bridge (lift bridge) with a fixedspan bridge, largely along the existing bridge alignment, generally as described under Alternative 1. Also with this alternative, connectivity with the Route 103 would be maintained. The existing Schuyler Heim Bridge would be demolished, as would occur under Alternative 1. With this alternative, however, no roadway improvements would occur, and the flyover would not be constructed. Additionally, the Route 47 Expressway described in Alternative 1 would not be constructed, and the Route 103 Extension to Alameda Street described in Alternative 2 would not be constructed.
Alternative 5. This alternative is designed to identify low-cost, easily implementable improvements to the local roadway system as an alternative to constructing more expensive improvements. This Transportation System Management (TSM) alternative focuses on improvements to routes that parallel the proposed Route 47 Expressway, and that serve the same trips.
Alternative 6. No Build.

Alternatives that were eliminated included extending Route 103 to I-405 or I-710, with freeway-to-freeway connections. These were just too expensive.

Final Routing As of April 2008, Caltrans approved replacement of the Schuyler Heim and Gerald Desmond bridges. In March 2009, the CTC received notice of the draft EIR. In October 2009, the CTC approved the project for future consideration of finding, based on the final EIR.

In July 2010, the CTC approved amending the Proposition 1B Project Baseline Amendment for TCIF Project 16, Route 47 Port Access Expressway and Schuyler Heim Bridge Replacement to split the project into two segments. Segment 1 is for the replacement of the Schuyler Heim Bridge and Segment 2 is for the Route 47 Expressway. The split will allow Segment 1, the Schuyler Heim Bridge replacement, to begin construction in June 2011, while the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Segment 2 are litigated. In Segment 1, the existing lift bridge will be replaced by a fixed span structure, either cast in place or precast concrete. In Segment 2, an expressway (Route 47) will be constructed as an elevated viaduct between Route 103 over Henry Ford Avenue and Alameda Street, where it transitions down to the existing grade south of Route 1.

In March 2016, it was reported that the eastern side of the new bridge replacing the old Schuyler Heim Lift Bridge is open and both north and southbound traffic is being routed on it while the old lift bridge is demolished and the western side of the new bridge is built. New signage installed for northbound traffic on the Terminal Island Freeway crossing the new bridge indicates that Route 47 exits off itself as “Exit 5” at Henry Ford Avenue. Exit 5 is an exit number for Route 47, as Route 103, which begins as a short concurrency with Route 47 at the Seaside Freeway interchange, begins only 1½ miles south of this point. The old Schuyler Heim vertical-lift bridge that opened on Jan. 10, 1948, is, piece by piece, now being relegated to port history, deemed structurally obsolete and seismically unsafe, no longer able to handle the growing traffic demand or provide the vertical clearance needed for passing ships. In its place, the California Department of Transportation is building a $180 million six-lane, fixed-span concrete bridge straight across and over the Cerritos Channel shipping lane. Rising nearly five stories above the water, the new bridge will provide plenty of vertical room. The new three-quarter-mile-long bridge — expected to be finished in early 2017 — will be safer and reduce maintenance costs, according to Caltrans. It will allow traffic to move from Terminal Island directly onto Alameda Street, bypassing three stop lights and five railroad crossings, according to an article on the Port of Los Angeles website.
(Source: Occidental Tourist/Andy3175 @ AAroads, Jan/Feb. 2016)

In December 2016, the CTC approved the following allocation: 07-LA-47 2.7/5.8 Route 47 in the cities of Long Beach and Los Angeles from Ocean Boulevard to transition of Route 103 and Henry Ford Avenue along Route 47. Replace Schuyler Heim Bridge Outcome/Output: Supplemental funds are needed to Complete Construction. Total revised amount $24,900,000.

In June 2023, the CTC approved for future consideration of funding 07-LA-47, PM 2.7/5.8. Schuyler Heim Bridge Replacement and State Route 47 Expressway Project. Replace the vehicular connection along the north-south corridor between Terminal Island and the mainland with a seismically safe bridge and provide a high-capacity alternative route to and from Terminal Island to improve safety, traffic movement, and reduce traffic delays, in Los Angeles County. (FEIR Addendum) (PPNO 0444E) (SHOPP). The project is located on Route 47 from postmile 2.7 to postmile 5.8, in Los Angeles County. The Department proposes to construct a four-lane elevated expressway connecting Terminal Island to Alameda Street, including the replacement of Schuyler Heim Bridge (Note: This is odd, as the Schuyler Heim Bridge was just replaced in 2016, but it is possible this is just Segment 2 of the original proposal). The project is currently programmed in the 2018 SHOPP for a total of $7,138,000, which includes Right of Way (Support and Capital) and Construction (Support and Capital). Construction is estimated to begin 2021-22. The scope, as described for the preferred alternative, is consistent with the project scope as programmed by the Commission in the 2018 SHOPP. A copy of the FEIR has been provided to Commission staff. The Commission approved the project for future consideration of funding on October 14, 2009, under Resolution E-09-79. Since the approval of the 2009 FEIR, Addendums were prepared to describe that the project would be built in phases. Modifications to the scope include, but are not limited to, the placement of riprap (rock), placement of soil fill for drainage purposes, minor widening and modifications to the Henry Ford off-ramp, and the addition of a pumping station to be completed as a separate phase of construction. The Department subsequently completed Addendums to the FEIR pursuant to CEQA. The Department has approved this project for construction. This approval and Addendums will satisfy the environmental requirements for this stage of the planning process.
(Source: June 2023 CTC Agenda, Agenda Item 2.2c.(2) Item 7)

According to Daniel Thomas in May 2004, there are trailblazer signs posted at least three times on Alameda Street North at Carson Street, Del Amo Boulevard and Santa Fe Avenue. There were some southbound as well. This is the section that was reconstructed. There were not any signs posted south of I-405, nor along Henry Ford Avenue, although there is a lot of construction happening on that section.