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City Outlines Plans for 2nd Street Bridge Improvements
By Staff Writer
Published on Wed, Jan 21, 2026
A vital crossing over Alamitos Bay from Marina Drive into Naples, the John H. Davies Bridge—more often simply known as the 2nd Street Bridge—is set for a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at extending its service life and improving safety in Belmont Shore.
A public meeting about the project will be held digitally from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 via Zoom. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend and learn more about how the project will impact travel across the historic bridge.
City staff will provide an overview of the project’s background, current design progress, anticipated construction schedule and traffic management plans. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.
The Davies Bridge, which opened in 1959, is named for structural engineer John H. Davies, who worked on its design but died before seeing it to completion. The span has served as a key corridor for those traveling between southeast Long Beach neighborhoods, Pacific Coast Highway and regional freeways.
Although the bridge was seismically retrofitted in 1998, structural assessments conducted in recent years identified the bridge deck as needing significant repairs. A Los Angeles County Bridge Inspection Report, along with subsequent material testing, found the bridge to be “structurally deficient” due to the condition of its concrete deck.
Officials say replacing the deck is necessary to ensure the bridge remains functional for decades to come.
Construction is scheduled to begin in fall 2026. Planned improvements include replacing the aging concrete deck, upgrading lighting, installing new railings and reconfiguring traffic lanes. The project will also add a protected bike lane and a safety barrier between vehicles and bicyclists or pedestrians.
Funding for the project includes approximately $2.5 million from Measure A and about $17.8 million from the Federal Highway Bridge Program’s Bridge Highway Local System grant, administered by Caltrans. The program prioritizes aging or deficient bridges that play a key role in regional mobility.
Pre-registration for the virtual meeting is encouraged. For more information about the project, to register for the meeting or to request meeting interpretation services, visit lbcity.info/2ndstreetbridgeproject.
