Gerald Desmond bridge replacement (Long Beach, CA) to open - September 2020?

[M3100]

In the July 18-19, 2020 Daily Breeze, there is an article noting that the (not yet named) replacement to the Gerald Desmond bridge will open on Labor Day, barring further delays.  The bridge connects Long Beach and Terminal Island, and the main span is completed; the approaches are still being constructed.

Bike lanes and pedestrian walkways will be added later; there was no mention whether this bridge or section of roadway will have an Interstate or State Highway designation {OpenStreetMaps shows the parallel Seaside Freeway with a CA 710 label; Google Maps shows it as I-710}.

Once the new bridge opens, the Gerald Desmond bridge will be dismantled over a two year period.

[oscar]

In the July 18-19, 2020 Daily Breeze, there is an article noting that the (not yet named) replacement to the Gerald Desmond bridge will open on Labor Day, barring further delays.

The replacement bridge has been subject to many years of "further delays". FWIW, the website for the bridge replacement project isn't committing to anything more than "is expected to be complete by the end of 2020", though maybe the local paper (do you have a link to its article?) has some inside skinny that hasn't made it to the project website.

Bike lanes and pedestrian walkways will be added later; there was no mention whether this bridge or section of roadway will have an Interstate or State Highway designation {OpenStreetMaps shows the parallel Seaside Freeway with a CA 710 label; Google Maps shows it as I-710}.

AIUI, the Seaside Freeway and the old bridge are city-owned, are not part of the state highway system, and have no route number. However, Caltrans has already adopted the not-yet-open new bridge as an addition to route 710, as reflected in Caltrans' Postmile Query Tool (online map of Caltrans-maintained highways). It's up to FHWA whether to add it to the Interstate system, though maybe that is already arranged or is in the works.

[M3100]

maybe the local paper (do you have a link to its article?)

I found this link to sister paper Long Beach Press telegram; I don't know how long the link will be valid or free:
https://www.presstelegram.com/2020/07/17/long-beachs-new-bridge-will-have-virtual-opening-celebration-because-of-coronavirus/

That is interesting that it *might* be designated as part of I-710, even if it has sidewalks and bike lanes, though maybe those are not expressly prohibited for a roadway to meet interstate standards. 

[Revive 755]

^

That is interesting that it *might* be designated as part of I-710, even if it has sidewalks and bike lanes, though maybe those are not expressly prohibited for a roadway to meet interstate standards.

For sidewalks, it might depend if they are barrier separated. As for bike lanes, considering California allows bicycles on interstates (I'm recalling a 'share the road' sign on I-5 in the northern part of the state many years ago), I don't think they would be an issue either.  As for bicycles being allowed on major bridges, they are allowed on I-72 across the Mississippi.

[Max Rockatansky]

^

That is interesting that it *might* be designated as part of I-710, even if it has sidewalks and bike lanes, though maybe those are not expressly prohibited for a roadway to meet interstate standards.

For sidewalks, it might depend if they are barrier separated. As for bike lanes, considering California allows bicycles on interstates (I'm recalling a 'share the road' sign on I-5 in the northern part of the state many years ago), I don't think they would be an issue either.  As for bicycles being allowed on major bridges, they are allowed on I-72 across the Mississippi.

I posted an example of a signed bicycle route on a freeway in the CA 198 thread.  Usually with California freeways they explicitly sign what is allowed as a cycling route and what is non-motorized prohibited.