Skanska JV Lands $534M Contract to Replace L.A.'s Vincent Thomas Bridge Deck
The 63-year-old bridge faces rapid deck deterioration, concrete fatigue and a harsh marine environment.
machineryasia 
A Skanska joint venture will soon begin replacing the deck of the Los Angeles Vincent Thomas Bridge deck, a project set to cost $534 million.
The joint venture with California Engineering Contractors is set to begin work this month on removing and replacing the deck. Additional improvements include new expansion joints, advanced corrosion-protection systems, replacing the seismic sensors, and building new railings, fences and median barrier.
The project used a construction manager-general contractor delivery method, designed to foster earlier collaboration between Caltrans and the Skanska-CEC Joint Venture during the design phase.
The expected benefits of the restoration include increased load capacity on the 1,500-foot bridge, improved safety for drivers and less long-term maintenance. Work on the Vincent Thomas Bridge is set to wrap up in March 2029, though construction was initially planned for completion before the 2028 Olympics.
Skanska’s share of the contract, valued at $320 million, will be accounted for in its first-quarter order bookings for this year.
The Vincent Thomas Bridge was built in 1963 and was listed by Caltrans as having a rapidly deteriorating deck, driven by traffic-induced concrete fatigue and environmental degradation due to its marine environment. Plans for replacing the deck began in 2023 with the project’s first approval and environmental document.
The Vincent Thomas Bridge connects the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles and Terminal Island and is the only suspension bridge in the greater Los Angeles area.
Funding for the deck replacement was part of a $4.9 billion package approved by the California Transportation Commission last year, of which 14%, or roughly $700 million, was set aside for the Vincent Thomas Bridge.
