Elgin Nelson
This week, the City of Compton celebrated the groundbreaking for the upcoming construction of the Artesia Bridge. Following damage from a December 2020 fire that rendered the bridge unsafe, access has been closed ever since.
“I am excited to announce that the contract for the Artesia Bridge has been fully awarded, Emma Sharif, Mayor of Compton, said. “After an extensive procurement process and a search for a construction management company to fulfill all contractual requirements.
The bridge is a vital link to the 91 Freeway, the Port of Long Beach, and several neighboring cities. The closure has significantly impacted public safety, and local businesses, with reported losses ranging from $150,000 to $400,000 per week.
“This bridge [Artesia Bridge] has been inoperable for the last 3 years and we are excited to finally get started on repairing it,” Councilman Andre Spicer said. “Many thanks and apologies to the businesses that have been affected over the years due to the bridge being inoperable.”
The Artesia Bridge in Compton, CA, is owned by the City of Compton, which is spearheading the reconstruction project. The city secured a $12,000,000 appropriation from the State of California for the bridge repair, facilitated by a bill sponsored by Senator Steve Bradford. Bradford (35th District) and Assemblymember Mike Gibson (65th District) successfully advocated for the inclusion of the bridge in California’s top ten priority budget requests to Gov. Gavin Newsom during the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
Caltrans also serves as the funding administrator for the appropriation and is in the process of finalizing approvals for the funding agreement between the state and the City of Compton. This entire process is estimated to take approximately three months, setting a tentative start of construction timeline around early spring. While subject to updates after the design is completed, the preliminary projection indicates that the reconstruction will conclude, and the bridge will be opened, by Summer 2024.