Buena Vista
Viaduct
The North Broadway-Buena Vista Street
Bridge was the first major monumental Beaux-Arts bridge constructed
by the City of Los Angeles. When completed in 1911, the subject
bridge was the longest and widest concrete bridge in the State of
California. It was also the first open-spandrel arched bridge in
California. This reinforced concrete arch bridge exhibits
character-defining features of Beaux-Arts bridge design. Located on
North Broadway as it crosses the Los Angeles River between Lincoln
Heights and Downtown Los Angeles, the structure rests on eight
vertical piers in an open and closed spandrel arch form. The open
spandrel sections are articulated as three arch loggias. A massive
central pier exhibits decorative semi-circular porticos with
massive Doric columns and triglyphs. Other piers exhibit a single
massive Doric column with pairs of triglyphs supporting a rounded
concrete balcony. The deck of the bridge exhibits a sculpted
concrete railing with heavy bellied octagonal balusters running
between twelve rounded viewing balconies. Two pairs of massive
fluted Ionic columns on high square pedestals topped by a cornice
and balustrade are located on both entrances to the bridge. Four
globe streetlamps are located on sections of the
deck.
Please visit
the other caches in the Los Angeles River Bridge
series:
Riverside-Figueroa Street
Bridge 1939
Buena Vista Viaduct
1911
Spring Street Bridge
1928
Main Street Bridge 1910
First Street Bridge 1929
Fourth Street Bridge 1930
Sixth Street Bridge
1932
Seventh Street Bridge 1927
Olympic Blvd Bridge 1925
Washington Blvd Bridge 1931