Days after the new Sixth Street Viaduct, also known as the Sixth Street Bridge opened, my mom and I took a drive downtown to see what $580 million and six years will get you. What we saw was one beautiful bridge. It connects the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles with the Boyle Heights neighborhood. It spans the Los Angeles River, the Santa Ana Freeway and the Gold State Freeway, as well as Metrolink and Union Pacific railroad tracks and several other streets. It replace the previous bridge, which was demolished in 2016.
Originally built in 1932, the bridge was composed of three independent structures. In 1986, the Caltrans bridge survey found the Sixth Street Viaduct eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Serious structural issues and large cracks raised concerns that outweighed its historical status, and it was demolished. The new bridge opened in July, 2022.
The newly completed bridge was designed by architect Michael Maltzan. It has green space underneath, that over the next few years, will be turned into a beautiful park.
The areas of Los Angeles that are now connected are the Arts District and Boyle Heights. Both areas contain art galleries, murals on buildings, many restaurants, and a diverse population The city connects community, the cultural capital of the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment