POLA Debuts Harbor Freeway Connector Improvements

By Mark Edward Nero

On June 20, officials from the Port of Los Angeles and the California Dept. of Transportation (Caltrans) marked the official grand opening of the newly configured I‑110 (Harbor Freeway) access ramps in Wilmington.

The completed construction project – which also includes key roadway modifications – is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and ease-of-merging on and off the freeway, and reduce congestion at a key, multi-point intersection near port terminals.

The completed improvements include reconfiguration of a northbound off-ramp; modification of a northbound on-ramp; realignment of Harry Bridges Boulevard and John S. Gibson Boulevard; and combining two existing intersections into one.

“One of the port’s main priorities continues to be improvements in our infrastructure, and that includes roadways around the port,” Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka said. “Reducing congestion and improving traffic flow is a win-win for business, as well as residents and commuters who regularly travel this route through Wilmington.”

Funding for the $51 million project included about $31 million from the Port of Los Angeles and the remainder from partnering agencies, including $6.65 million from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority; $8.3 million from a trade corridors improvement fund; and $5.9 million in federal funds.

The Wilmington work completion comes on the heels of the $46 million connector improvement project in San Pedro recently completed by the Port of Los Angeles in collaboration with Caltrans.

The project involved the widening of the SR-47 (Seaside Freeway) connector to I-110 with an additional lane and modifying the freeway ramps at John S. Gibson Boulevard.

Ground Broken on Oakland Truck Scales Project

The California Dept. of Transportation and the California Highway Patrol on April 21 broke ground on a project to replace an aging truck weight scales station near the Port of Oakland.

The new facility, which will be maintained by Caltrans and operated by the CHP, is being built a half-mile east of the existing scales facility, which has been in service since 1958. The new location has been designed to accommodate multiple construction bays, additional truck parking and newly designed traffic lanes on the Interstate 80 freeway.

With the completion of the new station, vehicles on I-80 exiting onto Highway 12 will be able to travel along a new, elevated ramp, thereby passing over trucks merging onto I-80 from the scales.

“This project will make it easier for the CHP to inspect trucks quickly and keep goods from the Port of Oakland moving efficiently,” Acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said.

Also, the new facility’s weigh-in-motion scales won’t require trucks to come to a complete stop before they’re weighed, which should make the entire process more efficient and less time-consuming, according to Caltrans. 

Nearly 10,000 truck trips are made daily between the Port of Oakland and I-80, according to Caltrans spokesman Vince Jacala.

Half the funding for the $100 million project comes from California’s State Highway Operation and Protection Program; the rest comes from regional and local funds, Jacla said.

Construction is expected to be complete by June 2013.