New Long Beach Bridge Full Opening Ceremony – Port of Long Beach

A flyover by vintage aircraft, a procession of clean cargo trucks and classic cars, a boat parade and more highlight the grand opening ceremony of the Gerald Desmond Bridge Replacement Project. The broadcast event atop the 205-foot-high bridge featured Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Port Executive Director Mario Cordero and Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. The ceremony also included stories on how the cable-stayed bridge was constructed and greetings from local, state and federal dignitaries and other VIPs. The entire broadcast was hosted by Dr. Noel Hacegaba and Richard Cameron, deputy executive directors for the Port of Long Beach. Among the dignitaries offering observations and commentary included: California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, California Secretary of Transportation David Kim, Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin, U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal, state Senator Lena Gonzalez, state Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, Los Angeles Mayor and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair Eric Garcetti, ILWU Local 13 President Ramon Ponce de Leon, California Transportation Commission Chair Hilary Norton and Executive Secretary of the Los Angeles-Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council Ron Miller.