SOUTH WILMINGTON GRADE SEPARATION BRIDGE
OPENS TO PUBLIC

WILMINGTON, Calif. — April 1, 2015 — The Port of Los Angeles has announced the South Wilmington Grade Separation Bridge, a 4,100-foot-long structure linking Harry Bridges Boulevard to Pier A Streetand Fries Avenue in Wilmington, is now open to all vehicular traffic, in an area heavily used by pedestrians, truckers and Port commuters.

The bridge officially opened this week, after 26 months of construction, at a total project cost of $84million, partially funded through Prop 1B, State Corridor Transportation Funds. Construction of this project involved the cooperation and collaboration among many organizations and agencies.

“This project increases public safety, improves the flow of goods, and saves time for the people and businesses of our community, said Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles. “Rail and gate productivity are key to the supply chain and this project directly impacts both functions.”

The bridge eliminates the conflict between vehicular traffic and two railroad crossings along Fries Avenue and Avalon Boulevard, and provides uninterrupted vehicular access to the South Wilmington area. The new grade separation facilitates emergency vehicle access, eliminates truck queues and traffic delays, and increases pedestrian safety. The project also eases access to facilities south of Harry Bridges Boulevard, including a new entrance to the Port’s TraPac Terminal.

The South Wilmington Grade Separation Bridge has a speed limit of 35 mph and is accessible from Harry Bridges Boulevard, Fries Avenue, and North Access Road (formerly Neptune Avenue). For more information, visit www.portoflosangeles.org.

The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit Southern California’s economy and quality of life. As North America’s leading seaport in terms by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $290 billion in trade during 2014.  Port operations and commerce facilitate more than 148,000 jobs (about one in 12) in the City of Los Angeles and 531,000 jobs (or one in 16) in the five-county Southern California region. The San Pedro Bay Ports support more than 1 million California jobs and 3.1 million nationwide.