Nostalgic for the 6th Street Bridge? You can own a piece of it

Published Jul 28, 2016 5:36 PM

The iconic 6th Street Bridge that connects downtown Los Angeles with its eastern disticts is reflected in the Los Angeles River after its closure to traffic on January 27, 2016.
The crumbling Sixth Street Viaduct that has appeared in scores of Hollywood productions will be closed and demolished due to safety concerns after its concrete has become weakened by a rare chemical reaction. / AFP / Mark Ralston (Photo credit should read MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

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Missing L.A.’s iconic, historic 6th Street Bridge? Never fear – soon you may be able to keep a piece of it for yourself.

At “Rock Day L.A.,” an Aug. 13 event hosted by Los Angeles City Councilmember José Huizar and the L.A. Bureau of Engineering, officials will be handing out around 1,000 pieces of the demolished bridge for anyone to take home – on a first-come, first-served basis.

The smallest pieces will be about the size of a paperweight; the larger ones will be around the size of a softball, and each will come with a certificate of authenticity from the city.

“It’s just another way we can honor the history of the 6th Street Bridge, which was really a beloved icon for the city of Los Angeles,” said Rick Coca, a spokesperson for Councilmember Huizar.

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Demolition crews have been steadily dismantling the bridge since February, after an alkali silica reaction in the concrete, known as “concrete cancer,” forced the city to move forward with a plan to replace it.

“Pretty shortly around the time of demolition people started to ask us, 'was there any way to get a piece of the bridge?'” Coca told KPCC.

The “Rock Day L.A.” event is partly a response to that demand – and a way for Angelenos to get a taste of what’s in store for the new bridge. The event will feature model displays of the public space being planned underneath the new bridge. It will also include food trucks, music, a photo booth and a science booth that will show samples of the alkali silica reaction on the concrete. (The pieces of bridge being handed out to visitors will be examined by the Bureau of Engineering to make sure they’re safe from “concrete cancer,” Coca said.)

Those who won’t be able to make the Aug. 13 event but still want a piece of history might still have a chance. “If there’s enough demand, there’s the possibility that we could do something similar again at a later date,” Coca said.

The rock giveaway won’t be the only way L.A. will be preserving traces of the old bridge, however.

A park being planned for the space beneath the new viaduct will feature around 20 light posts from the bridge, as well as one of its arches. It's part of the city’s $40 million plan to create more public space in the area under the new bridge

More information about “Rock Day L.A.” can be found on its Facebook event page.