2nd Street Bridge Deck Replacement
Additional project updates and information will be published on an on-going basis.
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Background
The 2nd Street Bridge, also known as the Davies Bridge, has enabled residents, visitors and tourists to cross the Alamitos Bay since it opened in 1959. The bridge is a critical part of the thoroughfare connecting southeast Long Beach neighborhoods to shopping and dining, as well as the Pacific Coast Highway and various freeways.
In 1998, the 2nd Street Bridge was seismically retrofitted to improve safety and resilience in the event of an earthquake. In 2017, LA County’s Bridge Inspection Report (BIR) rated the 2nd Street Bridge “Structurally Deficient” due to the condition of the bridge’s deck. Material testing of its concrete in 2019 supported those findings. To extend the life of the bridge and improve its safety, the City of Long Beach will replace the concrete bridge deck and upgrade several elements, including its lighting, railing and lane configuration.
See the Feb. 18, 2025, 2nd Street Bridge Deck Replacement Project City Council presentation for more information.
Timeline
Project timeline is set barring weather delays and other unforeseen circumstances.
| NEPA and CEQA clearance* | July 2024 |
| Caltrans funding approval | January 2025 |
| Council action to appropriate grant funds | February 2025 |
| Begin detailed design and permitting | April 2025 |
| Target to begin construction | TBD |
| Target to complete construction | TBD |
* National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Categorically Exclusion & California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Notice of Exemption
Objectives
- Extend the life of the bridge
- Improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists
- Enhance visibility and safety with upgraded lighting
- Improve multi-modal mobility
Project Scope
- Replaced concrete deck on the entire bridge
- Protected bike lane
- Safety barrier separating traffic lanes from bike paths and pedestrian walkways
- New exterior pedestrian railing
- New light poles and updated lighting
- Reconfigured traffic lanes
Project Funding
The 2nd Street Bridge Deck Replacement is funded with $2,549,467 from Measure A and a $17,845,435 grant from the Federal Highway Bridge Program’s Bridge Highway Local System (HBP-BHLS), administered by Caltrans.
HBP-BHLS grants are given to local agencies for bridge replacement, rehabilitation, retrofitting and other safety-related projects. The program prioritizes aging or deficient bridges. The 2nd Street Bridge qualified based on its “structurally deficient” rating and role in providing significant connection of communities, as well as the project’s mobility enhancements.
The budget is subject to change as the design develops and may be influenced by external factors.
More Information
- Feb. 18, 2025, 2nd Street Bridge Deck Replacement Project City Council presentation
- 2nd Street Bridge Deck Replacement Traffic Studies - Marina Drive to Naples Plaza - Westbound Travel Time - February 2026
- Feb. 5, 2026 Community Meeting Presentation
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Project Updates
February 2026
The Public Works Department hosted a virtual community meeting on February 5, 2026 to provide an overview of the safety and mobility improvements planned for the project. Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting and took the time to share feedback, questions, and perspectives. We recognize the importance of this dialogue and appreciate the community’s engagement.
Thoughtful and constructive input has been received, reflecting a wide range of perspectives shared throughout the community. The feedback directly informs the refinement of the project. Based on the input received, the team has prepared a revised approach that maintains the dedicated Appian Way off-ramp while prioritizing barrier-protected pedestrian and bicycle trail on the bridge. Structural feasibility is currently being evaluated and engineering details are being refined within funding parameters and the limited footprint. Below are graphics of the revised configuration which adjusts the roadway alignment to accommodate the dedicated off-ramp.
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Project Need
The project’s primary purpose is to address structural needs of the bridge deck. The structural needs of the bridge deck require the design to balance safety for all users and comply with current laws and regulations (refer to slide 17 in the February 5, 2026 community meeting presentation).
Public safety remains top priority. The bridge is currently safe for travel, and continues to be monitored. If conditions were to change in a way that raises safety concerns, the City would act promptly and responsibly to address them.
The existing multiuse lane (a combined merge/auxiliary/bike-lane) layout connecting to Appian Way fosters higher-speed interaction between motorists and cyclists that has resulted in conflicts. The proposed update will create a protected multi-use (pedestrian/bike) path on the outer edge of the bridge with the aim to reduce the risk of collisions that result in severe or fatal collisions, aligning with the project goal to improve safety within the area.
The City’s Safe Streets Long Beach Action Plan identified 2nd Street between Appian Way and Studebaker Road as ranking 8th on the City’s High Injury Network. During the study data period, there were 46 motorcycle and/or vehicle crashes and 6 crashes resulting in fatalities or serious injuries (refer to slide 31 in the February 5, 2026 community meeting presentation).
An update to the study is currently being drafted using the most recent data. Preliminary findings indicate that 2nd Street between Appian Way and Livingston Drive experience a high occurrence of vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents. This study update is still in progress and will be made available to the public when it is finalized. -
Westbound Multiuse Lane and Congestion
We understand the community’s concern about congestion in the area. The team is reevaluating whether there are any additional feasible refinements or engineering solutions that are available within the project’s limited footprint, bridge, and roadway width.
Congestion in this area is largely a function of existing conditions, including peak-hour traffic moving through closely spaced signals between PCH and Marina Drive, the transition from higher-speed regional facilities into a local corridor, and the natural funneling that occurs east of the bridge where lanes shift and merge. During peak periods, highway volumes enter the segment concurrently, further contributing to queueing and stop-and-go conditions. The final configuration of the bridge deck replacement project is not expected to significantly affect travel times compared to current conditions, even if the outer multiuse lane along the north side of the bridge was reconfigured or repurposed.
Outside of this bridge deck replacement project, the Department of Public Works will continue working to improve signal progression and traffic flow. However, westbound traffic generally moves more freely beyond the 2nd Street and Marina Drive intersection, where the City has received concerns about high vehicle speeds. -
Traffic and Access to Downtown Long Beach and Local Businesses
The bridge will continue to carry through traffic in both directions during construction. After construction, the project maintains the bridge’s two westbound through lanes, consistent with how the corridor operates today, while improving predictability where traffic already merges. Proposed improvements to the bridge aim to achieve safety and structural improvements while keeping these critical intersections clear of obstructions.
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Project Funding
The main source of funding is from a Highway Bridge Program (HBP) grant. These limited funds were promised in previous HBP funding cycles and are competitive on a national level. Above-average inflation is also affecting the cost of bridge projects overall. While HBP funds are limited to improvements within the project limits, the design addresses safety concerns where feasible within the project footprint.
Staff will incorporate feedback where feasible within the project footprint, budget, and legal requirements. -
Traffic Analysis
The City completed a traffic analysis and will re-review the forecast assumptions and results with the project team and subject matter experts as requested by the community.
If the outer multiuse lane along the north side of the bridge is reconfigured or repurposed, the traffic models below indicate that travel times along 2nd Street between Marina Drive and Naples Plaza would remain the same or increase by up to approximately five seconds, depending on the time of day and traffic volumes. Despite this minimal change, staff is continuing to evaluate options that maintain the dedicated Appian Way off-ramp while prioritizing a barrier-protected pedestrian and bicycle path on the bridge. -
Construction Staging, Bridge Access, and Emergency Response
The bridge is planned to remain open to two-way traffic throughout construction through a phased staging approach. Access, both during and after construction, has been carefully evaluated as part of the project’s design and staging plan, with particular attention to emergency response needs during construction.
As part of standard practice, the City meets weekly or biweekly with the contractor to review safety, traffic control, and access. When traffic pattern changes or night work is required, advance notice is provided to residents, and close coordination occurs with first responders to support proper planning. -
Appian Way Westbound Off-Ramp
The Appian Way westbound off-ramp is anticipated to be temporarily closed during one of the four construction stages, however the construction plan prioritizes keeping it open for most of the time while work us underway. Please refer to slides 21 through 24 in the February 5, 2026 community meeting presentation.
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Bicycle Facilities
Please note that during the community meeting on February 5, 2026, exhibits illustrating roadway striping and alignment were schematic and intended for conceptual discussion purposes.
The eastbound bicycle facility will transition across the Appian Way on-ramp in a manner consistent with existing conditions. As part of the design, vehicles entering from the on-ramp will be required to yield to pedestrians and cyclists crossing the ramp.
Physical separation for the bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be provided along the bridge segment itself, with transitions designed to safely accommodate the geometric constraints of the bridge and on-ramp configuration. The final design will clearly define where barriers begin and end to maintain safe and predictable movements for all users.
Westbound cyclists will transition from the protected facility on the bridge down the ramp to Appian Way. From there, cyclists may continue to the 2nd Street Service Road bicycle facility, which functions as a low-vehicular-volume Class III route, or proceed along Appian Way within the existing Class II bike lane. This configuration is intended to provide a more comfortable and predictable path for cyclists of varying skill levels and to close a gap in the local bicycle network.
Due to funding and scope limitations, the existing Class II lane within the chicane (see slide 15 in the February 5, 2026 community meeting presentation) will be removed since an alternative, safe route is provided down the westbound off-ramp to Appian Way. Other programs outside of this project are exploring enhancements to the pedestrian and bicycle network around this location. -
Surrounding Projects
Long Beach is a large city with many active projects. We appreciate your patience as we maintain and upgrade critical infrastructure.
The Colorado Lagoon project is planned to be completed this summer and will not overlap with this project. Updates on the Colorado Lagoon project are posted monthly at longbeach.gov/coloradolagoonproject.
The Studebaker Road Transformation Project will deliver major corridor improvements, and will be completed in a phased approach, with traffic open in both directions at all times. To learn more about the schedule and phasing for this project, visit longbeach.gov/studebakerproject.
To learn more about Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) Pilot Program, including planned location on 2nd Street and citywide, please visit lbcity.info/asepilot.
Based on the community feedback, we will continue to evaluate the appropriate timing for actual construction of the project. The next step is to refine the design and incorporate as much public input as feasible within the project footprint and constraints.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share feedback. We recognize that safety and accessibility are top priorities for the community, and your input is an important part of this process.
We appreciate the shared understanding that replacing the bridge deck is necessary. At the same time, we are carefully evaluating whether refinements to the current configuration are feasible. As we do so, we must also consider schedule and funding constraints that affect how and when the work can move forward.
Please be assured that the bridge remains safe for travel. If conditions were to change in a way that presents an immediate public safety concern, appropriate action would be taken.
We recognize the desire for earlier involvement and clearer information. We will continue to share updates, exhibits, and supporting materials on the project webpage as they become available.
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Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone: (562) 570-5000
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