Long Beach's Shoemaker Bridge is officially on borrowed time. The span and the Ninth and 10th Street ramps that feed the northbound 710 are set to close permanently on May 4 as crews clear the way for a major on-dock rail expansion at the Port of Long Beach. Drivers should expect detours, changeable message signs, and periodic weekend shutdowns around downtown Long Beach.
What’s closing and when
The port has announced that the Shoemaker Bridge approaches will shut down for good, including the Ninth and 10th Street on- and off-ramps that connect to the northbound 710, with demolition to follow in the summer of 2026, according to MyNewsLA. Changeable message and detour signs are expected to be in place to steer motorists through the new traffic patterns.
The Shoemaker Bridge will be taken out of service beginning May 4 so the work zone is clear before heavier demolition activity ramps up.
Why the port is doing it
The ramp removals are tied to the Port's Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility, a multiyear effort to boost on-dock rail capacity so more cargo moves by train instead of truck, easing congestion and cutting emissions, as reported by AJOT. Port officials frame the project as a key step in keeping freight flowing while taking pressure off local freeways and neighborhoods.
The Port has earmarked more than $1.28 billion for Pier B within a larger $3.2 billion capital plan that planners say will modernize the seaport over the next decade, according to Progressive Railroading. Port leaders say the expanded rail yard is designed to handle expected cargo growth while pulling some truck traffic off nearby roads.
Traffic and closures
To actually remove the elevated ramps, crews will need three temporary weekend shutdowns this summer: first the northbound 710 connector, then the Shoemaker Bridge itself, and finally the southbound 710, according to a port summary cited by ILWU Local 63. Each closure is expected to run from 10:00 p.m. Friday to 4:00 a.m. Monday, although specific dates have not yet been announced.
The port says it will roll out advance signage and detours in an effort to keep traffic moving, even if weekend plans end up coming with a side of congestion.
What drivers should expect
During the work, motorists will be routed to alternate corridors such as Willow Street, Pacific Coast Highway, Anaheim Street, Ocean Boulevard and the Queensway Bridge, AJOT reports. The port also notes that drivers will still be able to reach Shoemaker Bridge from West Seventh Street, West Third Street, West Ocean Boulevard and West Shoreline Drive east of the Los Angeles River.
City context and next steps
The eventual replacement of Shoemaker Bridge is a separate City of Long Beach project that calls for a modern span with pedestrian and bike connections along with shoreline improvements, according to the City of Long Beach project page. Coordinating the bridge replacement with the port's rail upgrades is part of a broader strategy to improve freight movement while opening more public space along the waterfront.
Officials expect permitting, environmental reviews and construction staging to continue through the decade as both the rail expansion and the new bridge move forward.
Community outreach
To brief neighbors and take questions, the port hosted an outreach meeting on April 22 at the Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center at Admiral Kidd Park, 2125 Santa Fe Ave., to present plans and gather public feedback, according to MyNewsLA. Port project pages list fact sheets and contact information for translation and accessibility requests for upcoming meetings as the work advances.
