Colorado Street Bridge (Pasadena, California)

The Colorado Street Bridge is a historic concrete arch bridge in Pasadena, California, USA. Because it spans the Arroyo Seco, it is often incorrectly referred to in the press as the "Arroyo Seco Bridge".

History

The Colorado Street Bridge was designed and built in 1913 by the firm of J.A.L. Waddell, based in Kansas City, Missouri. The structure is crossed by Colorado Boulevard (then called "Colorado Street"), the major east-west thoroughfare connecting Pasadena with Eagle Rock and Glendale to the west. It spans 1,486 feet (453 m) and is notable for its distinctive Beaux Arts arches, light standards, and railings. The bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

During the early years of the twentieth century, the Colorado Street Bridge was known locally as "Suicide Bridge" after dozens of suicides. A suicide barrier was added which reduced the number of suicides, but the bridge retained its nickname. In 1989, after the Loma Prieta earthquake in Northern California, the bridge was declared a seismic hazard and closed to traffic. It was reopened in 1993 after a substantial retrofit. The bridge is closed each summer for a festival, "A Celebration on the Colorado Street Bridge", hosted by historic preservation group Pasadena Heritage.

Appearances in Film, Television, and Other Media

The Colorado Street Bridge has appeared in the following productions:

• Being John Malkovich (1999)
• The first music video for "Wish You Were Here" by Incubus (2001)
• Fear Factor
• The 2001 FOX TV Series Pasadena
• The ABC TV Series Alias
• The 2003 film Seabiscuit
• Sliders TV Series - The Guardian (Season 3)

See also

• Other bridges over the Arroyo Seco

Notes

External links

• City of Pasadena's History Page, with a historic postcard view of the bridge.
• History of the Colorado Street Bridge from Pasadena Heritage