Pasadena Heritage celebrates 101-year-old Colorado Street Bridge

Los Angeles — The bridge engineering firm of Waddell & Harrington – a forerunner to HNTB Corporation, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary – designed the Colorado Street Bridge dedicated in 1913. This 101-year old landmark is being celebrated by Pasadena Heritage on July 12, 2014 with its signature Colorado Street Bridge party which draws local officials, business leaders, sponsor partners and thousands of residents for a festive evening on the bridge.

“As part of HNTB’s 100th anniversary activities, we are honored to be a part of this exciting event for the Colorado Street Bridge, which was our company’s first design project in Southern California,” said Vic Martinez, PE, vice president and Southern California District Leader. “We congratulate Pasadena Heritage for its ongoing dedication to preserving and protecting historic architectural and cultural resources, including the Colorado Street Bridge.”

The landmark structure, also referred to as the Arroyo-Seco Viaduct, carries Colorado Boulevard (then called “Colorado Street”), the major east-west thoroughfare connecting Pasadena with Eagle Rock and Glendale to the west, and with Monrovia to the east. It spans 1,486 feet and is notable for its distinctive Beaux Arts arches, light standards and railings. The concrete 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.

A century later, HNTB was selected by the City of Los Angeles to design the new Sixth Street Viaduct, which includes a modern interpretation of arches.