LONG BEACH, Calif. — Long Beach drivers have made it through the first of three major weekend closures around the 710 Freeway, but two more are scheduled before September is over.

The closures are connected to demolition of the old 9th and 10th Street ramps near Shoemaker Bridge, requiring different sections of the freeway and surrounding roadway system to close over three consecutive weekends.

The first closure began at 10 p.m. Friday, September 11, affecting the northbound 710 between Ocean Boulevard and Anaheim Street. It is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, September 14.

With that closure wrapping up, drivers should now prepare for the next two weekends.

Shoemaker Bridge Closes September 18-21

The next round of work begins at 10 p.m. Friday, September 18, when Shoemaker Bridge is scheduled to completely close.

The bridge will remain closed throughout the weekend and is scheduled to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, September 21.

This closure will affect drivers who normally use Shoemaker Bridge to travel between Downtown Long Beach and the 710 Freeway.

Access to both the northbound and southbound 710 will remain available at Anaheim Street during the closure. Drivers traveling through the area should expect detours and additional traffic on surrounding streets.

This weekend is different from the other two closure periods because Shoemaker Bridge itself is the roadway being closed, rather than a section of the 710 Freeway.

Southbound 710 Closes September 25-28

The third and final scheduled weekend closure begins at 10 p.m. Friday, September 25.

This time, the southbound 710 will close from Anaheim Street to Pico Avenue.

The freeway is scheduled to remain closed through the weekend before reopening at 5 a.m. Monday, September 28.

Southbound drivers will be redirected before reaching the closed portion of the freeway. Several nearby on-ramps will also be affected, meaning drivers heading toward the waterfront, port or bridges should give themselves additional time and expect heavier traffic on alternate routes.

Passenger vehicles will be directed through surface streets, while truck traffic will follow separate designated routes.

Why Are the Closures Happening?

The three weekends of closures are needed for crews to demolish the old 9th and 10th Street ramps associated with Shoemaker Bridge.

Those ramps have already been closed for months as work continues on transportation improvements connected to the Port of Long Beach’s Pier B project.

The demolition work happening this month should also not be confused with the City’s separate plan to eventually replace Shoemaker Bridge itself. The existing bridge dates back to the 1950s, and Long Beach has been planning a new bridge and roadway configuration intended to improve connections between the 710 Freeway, Downtown Long Beach and surrounding areas.

For drivers trying to keep the remaining September closures straight, there are now two weekends left to watch:

September 18-21: Shoemaker Bridge closed from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

September 25-28: Southbound 710 closed from Anaheim Street to Pico Avenue from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Drivers traveling through Downtown Long Beach and the western side of the city should plan for detours and heavier traffic during both weekends.