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Landmark 6th Street Bridge is set to close, residents cross one last time
In this file photo, the 6th Street Bridge spans the Los Angeles River on February 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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Police moved to disperse a crowd that gathered Tuesday night before the closure of the landmark 6th Street Bridge.
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NBC4
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In this file photo, the Los Angeles River flows under the 6th Street Bridge on February 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
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David McNew/Getty Images
)
The closure of a landmark Los Angeles bridge brought out residents who wanted one last walk across before it's demolished and replaced with a modern span.
The Sixth Street Bridge east of downtown was slated to close Wednesday for nine months of demolition work, the Associated Press reports.
The wire service reports that dozens of people gathered to take photos late Tuesday.
Police were ultimately brought in and formed a skirmish line to disperse the crowd, and the bridge was cleared by about 11 p.m., according to NBC4.
One person was arrested, the station reports.
Mayor Eric Garcetti and other city officials were scheduled to take a "final walk" Wednesday morning. At an afternoon press conference, they were expected to discuss local closures and detours.
According to the AP, major demolition work is set to begin next week, necessitating a 40-hour closure of State Route 101 on Feb. 5.
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The decision to demolish the bridge was prompted by the discovery that the concrete is suffering from a chemical deterioration, according to the city.
Construction of a replacement bridge is expected to be completed in late 2019.
According to Councilman Jose Huizar's office, one arch from the old concrete bridge will be preserved and used in a community space that will be built underneath the new span, AP reports.
You can see an animated flyover of the new bridge design below:
The $449 million project is expected to be completed by 2019 at the earliest, according to AP.
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This story has been updated.
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