Proposed Removal of California SR 103/Terminal Island Fwy (n of PCH)

[andy3175]

This is old news (March 2013 and October 2013) but I only recently located articles about it, and I don't think it was brought up elsewhere on the Forum:

http://la.streetsblog.org/2013/03/20/long-beach-terminal-island-freeway-removal-once-again-gets-funding-approved-for-a-study/

Last night, the Long Beach City Council voted unanimously to (once again) approved a motion to pursue a grant in order to further a study on the removal of the northern portion of the Terminal Island Freeway (I-103) that sits above Pacific Coast Highway in West Long Beach.

This marks the second bold decision by the council—following last year's vote to seek a CalTrans grant that was ultimately not achieved—to push forward on what could mark one of the largest freeway removals in Southern California history, stretching from slightly south of PCH all the way to Willow Street.

The Terminal Island Freeway has been at the center of a proposed restructuring since 2010, when community leaders pointed out a simple thing: the existing northern length of the freeway, following the development of the 20-mile long Alameda Corridor and the still-underway modernization of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF) by Union Pacific Railroad, is redundant.

Not only do shipping companies use it less and less, the traffic itself matches those of 4th Street along Retro Row (some 13,700 AADT). And if plans for ICTF follow through, you can drop that down to 8,700 AADT—less than the traffic 3rd Street receives in the quiet neighborhood of Alamitos Beach.

http://la.streetsblog.org/2013/10/15/long-beachs-terminal-island-freeway-removal-project-scores-250k-caltrans-study-grant/

After two attempts at gaining money, the three-year long dream to remove the northern portion of the Terminal Island Freeway (I-103) just took another step towards reality after the City of Long Beach scored a quarter-million Cal Trans grant for environmental justice transportation planning.

The grant–followed just six months after it was sought and following the same push in 2012 that ultimately failed in garnering monies–will provide a formal study of what could be one of the largest freeway removals in Southern California history, stretching a mile just south of PCH north to Willow Street.

What could largely be called one of the (many) babies of City Fabrick Executive Director Brian Ulaszewski–the same guy behind destroying one of the most deadliest intersections in Long Beach in order to pave way for a much-needed park–since 2010, the plan is rather simple: given the creation of the 20-mile Alameda Corridor and the modernization of the Intermodal Container Transfer Facility just west of Terminal Island, the northern length of the freeway is not needed. It would then be converted into a local street that fits into the grid, thereby alleviating traffic away from Santa Fe, the only other north-south arterial nearby.

What destroying this stretch of the freeway further (and more ultimately) does is remove large amounts of trucks passing by lower west side schools–such as Cabrillo and Reid High, and particularly Hudson Elementary, which sits directly east of the freeway–and various neighborhoods. The 20 to 30 acres of surplus land, most of which is weeds and dirt, can be converted to a mile-long public park. This, in turn, dramatically boosts park space on the West Side by roughly 50%.

The LA Times also weighed in on this topic in November 2013:

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/nov/19/local/la-me-long-beach-freeway-20131118

But now city officials are considering a radical makeover of west Long Beach that would involve ripping out a one-mile section of one of the Southland's first freeways, now mostly used by truckers, and replacing it with a long ribbon of green space.

The proposal, backed by an array of groups and the focus of a new state-funded study, would mark the first time a stretch of Southern California freeway was removed and converted to a non-transportation use.

Elsewhere, L.A. freeways continue to be upgraded and expanded. But the Terminal Island highway is an outlier – short and disconnected from the region's interstate network.

Built by the Navy in the 1940s to connect the mainland to its base, the Terminal Island Freeway became a vital postwar link to the burgeoning ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Regional planners had hoped to connect the Terminal Island route to the region's expanding highway network by extending it to what is now the 91 Freeway.

Completion of the Alameda Corridor freight rail line and expansion of the 710 Freeway made the link a less pressing priority, said professor James Moore, director of USC's transportation engineering program. "This was a freight workhorse," Moore said. "Now, it's more or less become obsolete."

The freeway starts near the waterfront and ends abruptly at Willow Street in Long Beach, spilling cars and trucks onto a city boulevard. The portion being studied for removal, north of Pacific Coast Highway, is smaller and less busy than most freeways that Angelenos are accustomed to navigating.

Vehicle counts are comparable to some surface streets near downtown Long Beach and one-tenth those on the 710 Freeway, a short distance to the east.

Long Beach owns the section of freeway being studied. Beginning next year, the city will use a $225,000 state grant to examine various options, including replacing the roadway with an 88-acre greenbelt.

That would be a marked improvement for the homes, schools, parks and transitional housing complex for veterans and the homeless that are now surrounded by industrial operations and freeways. The neighborhood has one acre of open space per 1,000 residents, compared with 17 acres in eastern Long Beach, officials note.

The high rate of childhood respiratory problems has earned the area the nickname "Asthma Alley" among parents and teachers. Recent initiatives to ban older, dirtier trucks and slow cargo ships in the harbor have helped lower pollution, state air quality regulators say. But some residents remain leery of the cumulative health effects of the freeways and industrial activity.

The community review process of this proposal begins this year (2014).

Regards,
Andy

[emory]

First of all "I-103" in that first article.

Technically that portion of the Terminal Island Freeway is not part of CA 103, which ends at CA 1, so getting rid of this segment will be easier. It'll just suck the most for truckers coming from the port, and Caltrans isn't finishing CA 47 anytime soon.

[hotdogPi]

So there's I-103 now? Is it like I-238?

[TheStranger]

Traveled down the entirety of 103 last night (inspired by this thread) and took a few photos that I'll post later.

Relevant thoughts:

- on the southern portion with Route 47, whether due to construction or under-utilization, a six-lane ROW has been configured as a Super Two

- all signage seems to indicate that 103 and 710 share the same south terminus

- the north portion past PCH isn't well lit and is adjacent to a very active Union Pacific line

- no END 103 signs northbound; signage on PCH directs drivers heading to the north freeway segment to "103 north"

- compared to the previous trip I had on this route (2010), the 47/103 split at Henry Ford Avenue is now well-signed for 47 north (albeit w/construction orange signs).

- not news, but fascinating how 47 has two TOTSOs in a mile (710, 103). Wonder if this is the only example of this in such short proximity (580/80 and 99/50 are longer)

[NE2]

Wonder if this is the only example of this in such short proximity (580/80 and 99/50 are longer)

I-10 at I-5? SR 23 at US 101? SR 58 at SR 43? SR 74 at old SR 71?

[TheStranger]

In terms of freeway/freeway examples...10/5 is longer (double TOTSO only westbound) as is 101/23.

[NE2]

In terms of freeway/freeway examples...

Which eliminates SR 47.

[TheStranger]

710/47 is a junction of two freeways connected by a diamond interchange at least.

[andy3175]

- on the southern portion with Route 47, whether due to construction or under-utilization, a six-lane ROW has been configured as a Super Two

Was there any evidence of work underway at the Heim lift bridge? That was to be the first item addressed as part of the as-yet unbuilt Port Access Expressway.

Regards,
Andy

[TheStranger]

I would think the temporary orange signage at the 47/103 split would be part of it...the two-lane portion of the Terminal Island Freeway has a jersey barrier to the right of the one northbound lane, but with normal (not temporary) shoulder striping when the useable carriageway expands and the barrier ends.  Will have to consult my photos to doublecheck.

[Occidental Tourist]

I would think the temporary orange signage at the 47/103 split would be part of it...the two-lane portion of the Terminal Island Freeway has a jersey barrier to the right of the one northbound lane, but with normal (not temporary) shoulder striping when the useable carriageway expands and the barrier ends.  Will have to consult my photos to doublecheck.

I work near there.  There is a quite a bit of work.  The orange signs and lane reductions are part of preparing both sides of the channel for the new bridge approach.  The first half of the new bridge is being built to the east.  Once that's done, I assume they'll route traffic onto the new half while they deconstruct the Helm bridge.

[andy3175]

I would think the temporary orange signage at the 47/103 split would be part of it...the two-lane portion of the Terminal Island Freeway has a jersey barrier to the right of the one northbound lane, but with normal (not temporary) shoulder striping when the useable carriageway expands and the barrier ends.  Will have to consult my photos to doublecheck.

I work near there.  There is a quite a bit of work.  The orange signs and lane reductions are part of preparing both sides of the channel for the new bridge approach.  The first half of the new bridge is being built to the east.  Once that's done, I assume they'll route traffic onto the new half while they deconstruct the Helm bridge.

Thanks gentlemen. I will need to return to the area to see the progress made; I've not been through there (I think) since 2010.

Regards,
Andy

[Revive 755]

http://la.streetsblog.org/2013/10/15/long-beachs-terminal-island-freeway-removal-project-scores-250k-caltrans-study-grant/

Few problems with that blog post:

1) If the freeway is simply downgraded to a local street, aren't the trucks currently using the freeway just going to continue using the local street?  And if the new street has more stoplights or stop signs, isn't there going to be more pollution from the trucks accelerating and decelerating, and more noise?

2) The extension of 25th Street to the new local street as shown on the map with the blog post appears to cut through private property.

3) There's the usual propaganda regarding car traffic going away if the freeway is removed.  Yet the LA Times article indicates that many of the users of the freeway are trucks.  I doubt those truck trips are as flexible as automobile trips.

[NE2]

1) If the freeway is simply downgraded to a local street, aren't the trucks currently using the freeway just going to continue using the local street?

No, they're going to use SR 1. This is a stub that doesn't go much of anywhere that's not already served by I-710 and SR 47. I'd guess that a lot of the trucks using it are simply cutting east on Willow to reach I-710.

[Occidental Tourist]

1) If the freeway is simply downgraded to a local street, aren't the trucks currently using the freeway just going to continue using the local street?

My understanding is that they are talking about ripping out the pavement entirely from PCH to Willow and turning it into a park.  I'm not sure what other lesser measure they could take to downgrade it operationally from what it already is.  Right now it's not technically a state highway along that section anyway and it looks like the rest of the TI Fwy, but that's not much different than it being a local street.  It's got four lanes with no barriers and a dirt median.  Its only limited access interchange is on the south end at PCH.  Other than modifying that interchange somehow -- and you'd still probably want traffic to and from the freeway south of PCH to have an interchange with PCH -- there's not much else to do to make it a street.

No, they're going to use SR 1. This is a stub that doesn't go much of anywhere that's not already served by I-710 and SR 47. I'd guess that a lot of the trucks using it are simply cutting east on Willow to reach I-710.

Theoretically, trucks can only go west on Willow (toward Alameda) from the end of the TI Fwy.  No trucks are allowed on Willow from the TI Fwy east to the 710 because that section of Willow runs through a residential neighborhood in West Long Beach.  The restriction is fairly well marked on both the 710 and the end of the TI Fwy.

That said, I don't know how assiduously the restriction is enforced.  The few times I have been on that section of Willow, it has been truck free.

[TheStranger]

Some photos of the Terminal Island Freeway (Route 47/Route 103) from a few nights ago:

Examples of the signed 47/103 concurrency, starting with the 47/710 split:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601484913/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601487883/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601820064/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601394345/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601397905/in/set-72157641136678175

Super-two configuration on the Heim Bridge:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601400615/in/set-72157641136678175

Route 47 north trailblazer assembly (no mention of 103) on the bridge:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601403995/in/set-72157641136678175

New orange temporary/construction signage for Route 47 splitting off at the Anaheim Street exit, via Henry Ford Avenue:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601505233/in/set-72157641136678175

DSC_7156 by csampang, on Flickr

End of super-two configuration (note the white shoulder striping, but then the narrow orange cones past the end of the jersey barrier)

DSC_7158 by csampang, on Flickr

Route 103 junction at Route 1
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601848304/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601522193/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601524123/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601854794/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601857914/in/set-72157641136678175

(former) Route 103 north of Route 1

DSC_7164 by csampang, on Flickr

DSC_7165 by csampang, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601437915/in/set-72157641136678175
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csampang/12601440395/in/set-72157641136678175

[andy3175]

Thanks Chris; very helpful to see the changes in signage and lane configuration of SR 103.

My page has pictures from the route up to mid-2010; here's the link to the SR 103 page for an older look at the areas Chris visited:

https://www.aaroads.com/california/ca-103.html

Many of the signs around the I-710 interchange with SR 47 and SR 103 seem to be about the same as it was in 2010 (but significantly different from earlier signage from before the diamond interchange was constructed). See https://www.aaroads.com/california/ca-047na.html for pictures for comparison.

Regards,
Andy

[Occidental Tourist]

I drove through there today on the way back from lunch.  Here's the current status:

The Heim bridge itself is untouched, although they have striped it down from six lanes to four to address construction on or adjacent to both current approaches to the old bridge.

The new bridge approaches are both in the process of being built.  It looks like the new bridge will be east of and completely out of the footprint of the old bridge.  The new approaches are halfway to the east of the old apporaches and halfway in the footprint of the old approaches.  The new approaches all have retaining walls or support columns completed and are in various stages of falsework or completed concrete with regard to the roadbed support.

There has been no construction on the new bridge itself, although they might have sunk the footings for the new bridge in the channel.  No support structures have been built in the water yet.  Because the bridge crosses a fairly narrow shipping channel, presumably if there are water-based footings for the new bridge, they will be near or at each edge of the channel.

The northern approach to the new bridge is a combination of graded incline with a retaining wall transitioning to bridge with support columns.  The southern approach is all support columns ala a viaduct.

As Chris' pictures show, the construction has made the approach to the old bridge a Super Two from Seaside Way to the bridge, widening out to four lanes, then back to two lanes once the roadbed shifts off of bridge deck and back onto asphalt.  The current Super Two is entirely shifted onto the westbound lanes of the old approach roadways. 

Where 47 and 103 split, there is an existing second bridge that turns east over the Henry Ford Ave/47 exit and some railroad tracks.  This bridge is normally six lanes, but has also been converted to a Super Two with traffic routed onto the northern side of this bridge.  The southside of the bridge is completely intact, but immediately south of this bridge is where construction on the new northbound approach is occurring.  East of this bridge, the TI Fwy goes back to its normal configuration.

Does anyone know if the new configuration for the 47/103 interchange will have a left exit or a right exit for Henry Ford Ave/47?