Vincent Thomas Bridge, Suspension bridge in San Pedro, US.
Vincent Thomas Bridge is a green-painted steel suspension bridge over Los Angeles Harbor, linking San Pedro with Terminal Island. Its two H-shaped towers rise about 102 meters above the water, and the main span between them measures 460 meters. The deck, a long steel truss, hangs from main cables by thin vertical suspender cables.
The structure opened on November 15, 1963, replacing ferry service between San Pedro and Terminal Island as the port expanded its cargo operations. It was the first major suspension bridge built in California south of San Francisco Bay.
Locals call it "San Pedro's Golden Gate," and in 1996 the Los Angeles City Council named it the official welcoming monument of the Port of Los Angeles. The San Pedro Bay Historical Society published a commemorative book about it in 1988. Its green paint was reformulated in 2000 to approach the original iridescent shade.
The crossing carries State Route 47 traffic and is not open to pedestrians or cyclists, with motor vehicles only. Heavy truck traffic from port terminals dominates the roadway during daytime hours.
The bridge is the only suspension bridge in the world supported entirely on piles, and its main cables are anchored by 23,000-tonne concrete blocks designed for about 10,000 tonnes of cable pull. In 1964 it won the American Institute of Steel Construction's long-span award.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,632 contributors worldwide.
