Sixth Street Viaduct facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 6th Street Viaduct
Sixth Street Bridge
Coordinates	34°2′17″N 118°13′37″W / 34.03806°N 118.22694°W / 34.03806; -118.22694 (Sixth Street Viaduct)
Carries	6th Street/Whittier Boulevard
Crosses	Metrolink tracks, Los Angeles River, Union Pacific Railroad tracks, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway, several local streets
Locale	Downtown and Boyle Heights areas of Los Angeles, California
Official name	Sixth Street Bridge from the LA River
Other name(s)	6th Street Viaduct
Maintained by	City of Los Angeles and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
ID number	53C-1880 (City of Los Angeles), 53-0595 (Caltrans)
Characteristics
Design	Viaduct
Material	Reinforced concrete and steel
Total length	3,500 feet (1,100 m)
Width	46 feet (14 m)
History
Opened	1932
Closed	2016

The Sixth Street Viaduct, also known as the Sixth Street Bridge, was a famous bridge in Los Angeles, California. It connected the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles with the Boyle Heights neighborhood. The bridge crossed over the Los Angeles River, two major freeways (Santa Ana Freeway and Golden State Freeway), and several train tracks.

Built in 1932, the viaduct was made of three main parts. It had two sections of reinforced concrete and a steel arch section that went over the river. In 1986, experts from Caltrans said the bridge was important enough to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Even though it was a historic landmark, the bridge was taken down and replaced in 2016. This happened because there were worries it might not be safe in a big earthquake.

Why the Bridge Was Replaced

The old bridge being taken down in April 2016

Early steps of building the new bridge over the LA River

When the original bridge was built in the 1930s, the concrete used had a problem. It contained too much alkali, which caused a chemical reaction called alkali-silica reaction (ASR). This reaction made cracks appear in the concrete and made the bridge weaker over time. The Sixth Street Viaduct was the only one of the old Los Angeles River bridges to have this specific problem.

Experts believed there was a 70% chance the bridge would fall down in a major earthquake within 50 years. Because of this big risk, the bridge was closed on January 27, 2016. Demolition, which means taking it apart, started soon after on February 5, 2016. It took about nine months to completely remove the old bridge.

Before the demolition, the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, even recorded a fun R&B song. He made a video for it on YouTube with musicians from Roosevelt High School. The video was a public service announcement to tell people about the freeway closures needed for the demolition. Workers removed a huge amount of concrete, steel, and rebar (steel bars inside concrete) from the old bridge.

Building the New Bridge

The new bridge was designed by architect Michael Maltzan and the HNTB Design-Build team. The main builders were Skanska and Stacy and Witbeck. The new design includes several green spaces both under and around the bridge. Building the new bridge has taken longer than expected and cost more money. The latest plan was for it to be finished by March 2022.

The Bridge in Pop Culture

The Sixth Street Bridge was a very well-known landmark in Los Angeles. Because of its unique look, it appeared in many movies, TV shows, music videos, and video games since it was built in 1932.

Movies Featuring the Bridge

Music Videos Featuring the Bridge

TV Shows Featuring the Bridge

Video Games Featuring the Bridge

• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
• L.A. Noire
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Midnight Club: Los Angeles
• Split/Second

Images for kids

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  The new viaduct during construction as seen from Boyle Heights on June 22, 2021.