LA prepares for grand reopening party of $588M Sixth Street bridge

LOS ANGELES - It’s going to be quite the party. The reopening of the Sixth Street bridge connecting downtown Los Angeles with Boyle Heights is set for next weekend Saturday and Sunday, July 9th and 10th.

It’s the much anticipated $588-million Sixth Street Viaduct Bridge which "will rival the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park as iconic images of our city," said Councilmember Kevin de León, who was helped get the funds for the project back when he was in Sacramento.

We spent some time with De León and City Engineer Gary Lee Moore, who’s openly adoring of the project he has overseen since its planning began way before the old bridge was torn down in 2016. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Los Angeles says goodbye to iconic 6th Street Bridge with farewell party

Called the "Ribbon of Light" because of the undulating arches that will be lit with LED lights at night, it features sidewalks on each side of the viaduct, varying from 8 feet to 14 feet in width and 10-foot wide Class IV protected bike lanes on each side. The east ramp in Boyle Heights is a helical structure connected by paths to the north and south sides of the viaduct. The ramp is 790 feet long, 12 feet wide, and 45 feet tall. 

There will also be a 510-foot-long west ramp from the north side of the bridge to the ground near Mateo Street. It'll feature five sets of stairs connecting the viaduct to the ground underneath.

A 12-acre park underneath the structure will begin construction next year, but the bridge will be open to the public during its opening celebration next weekend, featuring concerts, fireworks and more. But you do need reservations, which you can get on EventBrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grand-opening-of-the-sixth-street-viaduct-tickets-360641. 

Access to the celebration will be from the east side of the viaduct in Boyle Heights at Boyle Avenue and Whittier Boulevard.

Tickets, and more info about the musical lineup, parking and more can be found here.