California Construction News staff writer
Skanska has been awarded a $534 million contract to replace the deck of the Vincent Thomas Bridge under a joint venture with California Engineering Contractors, officials announced.
The contract was issued by the California Department of Transportation for the three-year project, which will include phased replacement of the bridge deck along State Route 47. The bridge will be closed for 16 months during construction, affecting a key freight and commuter corridor serving the Port of Los Angeles and the South Bay region.
The Vincent Thomas Bridge spans the main channel of Los Angeles Harbor and is a primary connection to Terminal Island.
The project will replace the aging deck with lightweight precast, prestressed concrete panels designed to extend service life, improve load capacity and withstand marine conditions such as saltwater spray and coastal winds.
The scope of work includes removing and replacing the existing deck, installing new expansion joints and corrosion-protection systems, and integrating real-time structural health monitoring technology. The new deck panels are engineered to support heavy freight traffic.
“Delivering this critical infrastructure allows us to apply advanced engineering solutions that improve safety for the traveling public, modernize essential bridge components, and help Caltrans maintain a vital economic corridor serving Terminal Island,” said James Bailey, executive vice president of Skanska USA Civil’s West Coast operations.
Wahid Tadros, president of California Engineering Contractors Inc., said the construction manager/general contractor delivery model allowed the joint venture to collaborate with Caltrans during preconstruction to develop technical solutions and a project plan focused on safety, quality and schedule.
Under the CM/GC approach, the joint venture plans to use precision demolition, modular deck installation, advanced scheduling and environmental controls to reduce noise and air-quality impacts.
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026 and be completed by March 2029. The bridge is scheduled to reopen to traffic in the first half of 2028.
