$60 Million Riverside Drive Bridge Reopens

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Monday helped officially reopen the Riverside Drive Bridge that connects Cypress Park and Elysian Valley.

The work to replace the old bridge began in 2014 due to seismic deficiencies. It was rebuilt for $60 million, and has several new features, including the first protected bike lane on a city bridge.

The 1,200-foot span, which crosses the Los Angeles River near where the Glendale (2) and Golden State (5) freeways meet, also features the city's first modern traffic roundabout.

"Bridges are more than infrastructure," Garcetti said. "They are a symbol of the personal connections we make to destinations and to one another. This is a great day for Los Angeles. The bicycle lane and other innovations make it a place where people can travel safely and conveniently by bike, on foot and in their cars."

City Engineer Gary Lee Moore said the bridge "is the safe, modern, multi-modal transportation link that the community deserves and one that they helped make a reality."

The Bureau of Engineering was able to rebuild the bridge while keeping traffic flowing over it by first building two lanes of the new bridge and then demolishing the old bridge. The bureau then added additional lanes to the new bridge.

Building infrastructure in an urban area has numerous challenges," Moore said. "We worked to maintain this crossing as the vital link for cars, bikes and pedestrians that it is, and are grateful to the community for their patience and support throughout the project."

City News Service; Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Mayor's office via twitter