The Gerald Desmond Bridge is a major access point to the Port of Long Beach from downtown Long Beach, California and surrounding communities, carrying I-710 over the Port's Inner Harbor to Terminal Island. The replacement bridge will be a six-lane, cable-stayed design, with a 205-foot clearance to allow the newest generation of cargo ships to enter the Port. The bridge will include emergency lanes on the inner and outer shoulders, as well as a bicycle/pedestrian path. The new bridge is being built alongside the current bridge to maintain traffic flow. The replacement bridge opened to traffic in late 2020.

Construction of the new bridge will provide an economic boost to Long Beach and the region. The more than $1 billion in spending is estimated to generate economic activity of more than $2 billion in Southern California, and the project is anticipated to support 3,000 jobs per year for five years.