Vincent Thomas Bridge Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Vincent Thomas Bridge
The Vincent Thomas Bridge in 2009
Coordinates	33°44′58″N 118°16′18″W / 33.74944°N 118.27167°W / 33.74944; -118.27167
Carries	4 lanes of SR 47
Crosses	Los Angeles Harbor
Locale	Los Angeles (San Pedro and Terminal Island)
Owner	State of California
Maintained by	California Department of Transportation
Characteristics
Design	Suspension bridge
Total length	6,060 feet (1,847 m)
Width	52 feet (16 m) (typical)
Height	365 feet (111 m)
Longest span	1,500 feet (457 m)
Clearance below	Approximately 185 feet (56 m)
History
Opened	November 15, 1963; 61 years ago (November 15, 1963)
Statistics
Daily traffic	32,000

The Vincent Thomas Bridge is a long suspension bridge in California. It stretches 1,500-foot-long (460 m) across the Port of Los Angeles Harbor. This bridge connects San Pedro, Los Angeles, with Terminal Island. It is the only suspension bridge in the Greater Los Angeles area.

The bridge is part of California State Route 47, also known as the Seaside Freeway. It opened in 1963. The bridge is named after Vincent Thomas, a local politician from San Pedro. He worked hard to get the bridge built. It was the first bridge of its kind in the United States to be built using a special welding method. The bridge is about 185 feet (56 m) high above the water. This allows large ships to pass underneath easily.

Building the Vincent Thomas Bridge
Bridge Lighting and Design
Tolls and Fees
The Bridge in Movies and TV
Images for kids
See also

Building the Vincent Thomas Bridge

The bridge seen from 11,500 feet (3,500 m). A cruise ship and a cargo ship are docked. The Victory Ship SS Lane Victory is also visible.

Vincent Thomas was a member of the California Assembly. This is a group of people who make laws for the state. He spent 19 years, starting in 1940, working to get the bridge built. He helped pass 16 different laws needed for its construction. For a while, people made fun of the bridge. They called it "The bridge to nowhere" because Terminal Island was not very developed yet.

Before this bridge, people used ferries to get to Terminal Island. Ferries are boats that carry people and cars. Many workers used these ferries to get to canneries and shipyards on the island. Some people even tried to keep a small ferry running after the bridge opened. This was because the ferry was available all night, which was helpful for night-shift workers.

In 1968, the bridge was connected to the Harbor Freeway. This connection was very important for the Port of Los Angeles. It helped the port become successful with container ships. Today, cargo can travel easily from the port over the bridge. It then goes onto other freeways to reach train yards in Eastside Los Angeles.

Bridge Lighting and Design

In 1988, for the bridge's 25th birthday, events were held to raise money. The goal was to add permanent decorative lights to the bridge's main cables.

In 2005, the bridge's lights were updated. They changed to 160 blue LED lamps. These lamps are powered by solar panels. This project cost $1 million. Each lamp uses very little power. The solar panels create enough energy to light up the bridge. This was the first time solar power and LEDs were used together to light a bridge.

Eastbound entrance from N. Harbor Blvd., San Pedro, California, in 2011.

Tolls and Fees

When the bridge first opened in 1963, drivers had to pay a toll. A toll is a fee to use a road or bridge. It cost 25 cents to cross in each direction. The place where you paid the toll was on the Terminal Island side.

In 1983, the toll changed. It became 50 cents for cars going west. But it was free for cars going east. In 2000, all tolls were removed from the Vincent Thomas Bridge. This made it free to cross in both directions.

Even today, you can see a sign that says "Free Direction" near the bridge entrance from San Pedro. This sign reminds people that there is no longer a toll.

The Bridge in Movies and TV

The cruise Ship Sapphire Princess passes under the Vincent Thomas Bridge as it leaves Port of Los Angeles in 2011.

The Vincent Thomas Bridge has been in many movies and TV shows.

Movies Featuring the Bridge

The bridge has appeared in films like:

Gone in 60 Seconds (both the 1974 and 2000 versions)
Lethal Weapon 2
To Live and Die in L.A.
City of Angels
Charlie's Angels
Inception
Den of Thieves

In the 1995 movie Heat, a character mentions the bridge.

Television Shows Featuring the Bridge

The bridge's old toll plaza was shown in an episode of the original Mission: Impossible from the 1960s.

The bridge was also a big part of an episode of the NBC crime show CHiPs in 1977. This episode was called "Taking Its Toll." The old tollbooths were central to the story.

In 2012, the bridge was used as the finish line for a race. This was for the TV show Top Gear on the History Channel.