No its not new. The Bayonne Bridge was raised just to allow the new bigger boats from China to get to Newark docks.
https://skyrisecities.com/news/2020/03/time-lapse-condenses-...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonne_Bridge#Roadbed-raising...
Either way, you're not responding to the original point: east vs west consumption has nothing to do with the trend