The Colorado Street Bridge, a majestic structure soaring 150 feet above the Arroyo Seco in Pasadena, California, has captivated travelers and locals alike since its completion in 1913. When it opened, it was hailed as the highest concrete bridge in the world, a testament to early 20th-century engineering and design. Before this impressive structure, traversing the deep Arroyo Seco ravine was a challenging journey, requiring a steep descent and ascent for horses and wagons. The Colorado Street Bridge dramatically changed this, offering a seamless passage and becoming an instant landmark.
An Engineering Marvel and Graceful Design
The construction of the Colorado Street Bridge presented significant engineering hurdles. Engineers struggled to find stable ground in the Arroyo Seco’s seasonally wet riverbed. The ingenious solution came from engineer John Drake Mercereau, who conceived of curving the bridge 50 degrees to the south. This innovative approach, combined with an elegant design featuring soaring arches and a curved roadway, transformed a functional structure into a work of art. Its significance has been formally recognized with designations as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Mercereau’s design employed spandrel construction to support the bridge’s 28-foot-wide roadway and five-foot-wide sidewalks. This system utilizes support columns resting on the expansive arched ribs of the bridge. Adding to its aesthetic appeal, the bridge features classical balusters and ornate cast-iron lamp posts, each supporting multi-globed lamps, evoking a sense of grandeur and history.
Construction and Opening of the Colorado Street Bridge
The construction of the Colorado Street Bridge spanned 18 months, a significant undertaking for the time. Materials were transported down the steep gorge sides using horse carts. Records indicate the massive scale of the project, requiring approximately 11,000 cubic yards of concrete and 600 tons of steel reinforcing. A single cement mixer poured concrete in half-yard increments into the hundreds of wooden forms that shaped the bridge’s arches, girders, spandrels, and decorative details. The total cost of construction reached a quarter of a million dollars. The bridge’s grand opening was a major event, celebrated by thousands of Pasadena residents.
A Bridge of Progress and Shadow
The Colorado Street Bridge played a pivotal role in connecting Pasadena to Los Angeles, facilitating growth and development in the region. The bridge quickly became a vital artery, but its two-lane width soon proved insufficient for the burgeoning traffic, even as early as the 1930s. It served as part of the iconic Route 66 until the Arroyo Seco Parkway was completed in the 1940s.
However, the Colorado Street Bridge also developed a somber reputation as “suicide bridge.” The first recorded suicide occurred in 1919, and tragically, many more followed, particularly during the Great Depression. Over the years, it is estimated that over 100 individuals have tragically ended their lives by jumping from the bridge into the Arroyo Seco below.
Restoration and Modern Significance
In 1981, the historic significance of the Colorado Street Bridge was officially recognized with its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Despite this honor, the bridge had fallen into disrepair by this time, with concrete chunks occasionally falling from its ornate structure. Following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the bridge was closed as a safety precaution.
A comprehensive renovation project, funded by Federal, State, and local sources at a cost of $27 million, restored the bridge to its former glory. The Colorado Street Bridge reopened in 1993, meticulously preserving its original ornate details and incorporating a suicide prevention rail to address its tragic history.
Today, after admiring the bridge’s architectural and engineering brilliance, visitors might find themselves intrigued by local tales of hauntings. Whispers persist of spirits wandering the bridge and the Arroyo Seco beneath, adding another layer of mystique to this historic landmark.
The Colorado Street Bridge gracefully spans the Arroyo Seco as part of Colorado Blvd., conveniently located just south of the Ventura Freeway, between North San Rafael Ave. and North Orange Grove Blvd. in Pasadena, CA. For a unique perspective from below, take West Holly St. west from North Orange Grove Blvd., then turn left onto Arroyo Dr., which merges with North Arroyo Blvd. to pass directly under the bridge. Pasadena Heritage, a local advocacy group, celebrates the bridge annually with a summer festival, closing it to traffic for a community event.
To delve deeper into the history and ongoing celebrations of this iconic structure, visit the Pasadena Heritage website.
Further detailed information can be found in the Colorado Street Bridge National Register nomination form.
