One lane of a short segment of the 710 Freeway heading southbound near Downtown Long Beach will be closed for two years for a major construction project, port officials announced Tuesday. But, they said, they do not expect the closure will worsen traffic and assured commuters that impromptu detours will not be necessary.
Starting Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., the outermost, third lane near the southbound Pico Avenue and Harbor Scenic Drive off-ramps will be closed. That section of the freeway is less trafficked and comes after the major Shoreline Drive exit that leads to Downtown Long Beach. See a detailed map here.
There won’t be any detours during the extended closure, but overnight on Nov. 3, crews will re-stripe lanes near those two ramps, during which the southbound Harbor Scenic off-ramp will be closed, requiring a detour and exit on the southbound Pico off-ramp.
On Nov. 6-8, the southbound Harbor Scenic off-ramp will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. as crews install crash cushions, channelizers and a K-rail barrier near the southbound Pico and Harbor Scenic off-ramps. Drivers will need to exit on the southbound Pico off-ramp.
“It shouldn’t be major,” said port spokesperson Lee Peterson on Tuesday. “But for drivers, I would be prepared as you’re going along, especially at night, be aware of any marked and noticed closures and detours so you can make your way without any problems.”
The road work is part of the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility Project, an 8-year, $1.567 billion project that will double the port’s yard size and triple its rail cargo limit, making it the largest expansion Long Beach has seen in years.
For updated information about freeway construction and closures on the project, visit www.polb.com/pierb.