LA gears up for long-awaited opening of Sixth Street Viaduct, connecting Boyle Heights to downtown

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles will begin a three-day community celebration Friday to mark the completion of the Sixth Street Viaduct, a new connection between Boyle Heights and the downtown Arts District that replaces one of the city's most iconic structures.

The previous viaduct, built back in 1932, was a city landmark that made appearances in films and television shows, mostly notably "Grease" and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day."

But that original structure fell victim to the ravages of time and deterioration blamed on an alkali-silica chemical reaction that caused an expansion and cracking of the concrete over time, leaving the bridge seismically unsound.

"We now have a beautiful new friend that is, in many ways, an embodiment of what Los Angeles strives to be - a city that connects community, the cultural capital of the world," Mayor Eric Garcetti said.

Assemblymember Miguel Santiago said the original structure meant a lot to the community.

"When we tore this down, people came out and shared their memories. They chipped away at a piece of cement, brought it home and kept it forever," he said.

Demolition on the original structure began in 2016. At the time, city officials projected a 2019 completion with a $449 million price tag. The new viaduct ended up costing $588 million, funded by the Federal Highway Transportation Administration, Caltrans and the city of L.A.

The new viaduct's "Ribbon of Light" design, with its 20 sweeping arches, was created by the architectural firm HNTB Corp. and Los Angeles-based architect Michael Maltzan.

On Friday, dignitaries will gather to celebrate the completion of the project, the largest bridge project in the city's history. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be attended by a host of city officials, including Mayor Garcetti, and will be followed by an arch-lighting ceremony.

The bridge itself will not officially open to traffic until Sunday night.

Before then, there will be a weekend-long community celebration. Interest has been so high that tickets for Saturday's events have already sold out. Organizers said walk-up visitors without tickets will be asked to stand in line, but they'll only be admitted as time allows.

Saturday's event, beginning at 2 p.m., will include live music with headliners Ozomatli, food trucks, a vintage car display, fireworks and a bridge-lighting.

On Sunday, the bridge will be open for pedestrians and bicyclists, with no tickets required, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The city's Bureau of Engineering plans to create a 12-acre park under the bridge to provide access to the L.A. River, public art, recreational programming and more.

According to the Bureau of Engineering's plans, the downtown side of the Sixth Street Viaduct park will include a rain garden, planted seating area, a play and performance lawn, a sculpture garden, a meadow, a dog play area, an adult fitness section, cafe and restrooms, a sloped river gateway, an urban forest and terraces.

On the Boyle Heights side, the park's plans include a skateboard area; a meadow; a picnic area; a synthetic turf soccer field; flexible courts sized for basketball, futsal and volleyball; a play and performance lawn; a children's play area; a promenade; a landscaped seating area; an adult fitness area; a rain garden; a dog play area and grilling spaces.

City News Service contributed to this report.