Category Archives: News and Updates

Ironworkers progress re new Gerald Desmond Bridge 2018

Night view from back channel west shore looking south
Daytime view from the back channel west shore, looking south
Aerial view of south elevation
Driver’s Perspective at Night

Update on bridgework in Long Beach California

Ironworker’s progress re new Gerald Desmond Bridge 2018, have towers on both sides erected with  first segments of road deck.
As photographed here, early Friday morning September 19th, 2018.
Notice the East Tower has both stiff leg derricks in place, ready to continue iron erection to both the main span and back span.

The long field beams , from  fabricators located in Arizona, using big rig trucks attached with modified trailers. Hauled via caravans of three to four trucks at a time.

The caravan travel’s thru the Cajon Pass on the 15 fwy, then west on the 210 fwy and  maneuver the South 605 fwy interchange, after which they all park in a line on the shoulder of the 605 freeway. This is a safe pull out  just before the Irwindale Drag Strip exit, which  has an unusually large shoulder off the side of the freeway.
That allows the California Highway Patrol to execute their escort  plan for the rest of the journey to the Harbor Area job site. Makes for a sight, as this caravan continues on, surrounded by police stationed on both the sides, the front and rear of each load, leaving only one lane open for regular traffic to pass on by. This journey begins about 10 PM and ends with these trucks in positions at the bridge about 3 AM.


The West Tower on the Terminal Island side of the Gerald Desmond Bridge is in the process of erecting both of their stiff leg derricks as well.

Notice that there are some pipe column segments that have their removal work ongoing as well. That doesn’t take too long.

Also noteworthy  is the progress of the work finalizing construction to the approaches on both sides of this bridge project. The east side crew is on their last pier to pier construction work and the west side is not far behind on their pier to pier construction. Here’s a shot taken on the west side’s work progress.
All in all, the work constructing this complicated task is nothing short of remarkable to witness and be a part of too. A true landmark in the making, generating great pride for all the participating trades. Surely generating legacies to come from a job like this. Safety is key, like regular, and as always, let’s successfully push forward with continued care for one another and build our West Coast landmark job. Very Cool indeed!

And now, let’s have a little music, shall we?
https://soundcloud.com/shanescloud/come-to-terms-2

And then there is music like no other:

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Thanks for stopping by and checking things out, see you again soon with some more neat stuff
Best Regards
Shane
JIW Local 433

Alrighty Then, let’s do one more from Shane