Groundbreaking signals Gateway Project is becoming a reality

By Toni Miles

City leaders and project managers and crew turn dirt at the official groundbreaking for the City of Long Beach’s Gateway Project.

Though seven years in the making and with plenty of obstacles along the way, on March 11, there was a groundbreaking for the City of Long Beach’s Gateway Project.

The Long Beach Gateway Project was established to revamp the appearance of the city along Highway 90 and to better connect the city’s downtown area with the beach, making it more inviting for visitors and locals alike.

In the works since 2018, City leaders, project managers and crew were on hand to “turn dirt” at the official groundbreaking.

This sign posted at the intersection of Pineville Road and Railroad Street is just one of many signs that are part of the Gateway Project.

There are already signs, literally, signaling the project’s progress, as seen at the intersection of Pineville Road and Railroad Street, where a recently placed sign bannering “Long Beach” sits. Aside from new signage, the project also entails improved landscaping, better drainage and walkways and a lighthouse, among other things, to help better define the city’s identity and to boost tourism.

The project, funded thanks to federal funds secured by past and present U.S. Congressmen for the state and area, is the brainchild of the past City Board of Aldermen and Mayor George Bass, a vision that has been further supported by the current Board and is now becoming a reality after years of planning.

Long Beach Mayor George Bass addresses the crowd at the Gateway Project groundbreaking.

“There were a lot of things – drainage was a big thing,” said Long Beach Mayor George Bass, as he addressed the crowd at the groundbreaking. “Sidewalks [were] another thing, and we talked about our beachfront – what can we do? We decided we needed to “repaint” our front door.”

Aimed at enhancing the “front entrance” of the city, the Long Beach Gateway Project is a multi-phase initiative designed to create a more welcoming and visually appealing gateway to Long Beach.

Phase One is currently underway, as seen by some of the signs already put up across the city.

Phase Two will include the construction of a new tower, improved drainage, beach showers, upgraded walkways, enhanced landscaping, and additional infrastructure improvements. Future phases will feature pavilions and other amenities for the community and visitors to enjoy.

On board for this project are: the City of Long Beach, landscape architect Christian Preus, AnderCorp, Dale Partners, Overstreet and Associates, and Simpkin and Costelli, Inc.