The Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, a majestic structure soaring 150 feet above the Arroyo Seco, has captivated travelers and locals alike since its completion in 1913. Upon opening, it was celebrated as the world’s highest concrete bridge, a testament to early 20th-century engineering prowess. This iconic landmark, often referred to as the Arroyo Seco Bridge, not only solved significant transportation challenges but also became a poignant symbol of Pasadena’s history, marked by both triumph and tragedy.
Constructing the Colorado Street Bridge was no simple feat. Previously, traversing the deep Arroyo Seco gorge was a laborious process, requiring a steep descent and ascent for horse-drawn carriages and wagons. Engineers faced considerable difficulties finding stable foundations in the seasonally wet riverbed. The innovative solution came from engineer John Drake Mercereau, who ingeniously curved the bridge 50 degrees southward. This curve, combined with an elegant design featuring soaring arches and a gracefully curved deck, transformed a functional structure into an architectural masterpiece. The bridge’s aesthetic and engineering significance earned it recognition as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mercereau’s design employed spandrel construction to support the 28-foot-wide roadway and two 5-foot sidewalks. This system utilized support columns resting on the bridge’s expansive arched ribs. Adding to its grandeur, the bridge was adorned with classical balusters and ornate cast-iron lamp posts, each holding multi-globed lamps. The construction process itself was a significant undertaking, lasting 18 months. Materials were transported down the steep gorge sides by horse-drawn carts. Records indicate the impressive scale of the project, utilizing approximately 11,000 cubic yards of concrete and 600 tons of steel reinforcement. A single cement mixer poured concrete in half-yard increments into hundreds of wooden forms, which, upon removal, revealed the bridge’s iconic arches, girders, spandrels, and decorative details. The total cost of this ambitious project was a quarter of a million dollars, a substantial sum at the time, and its opening was met with jubilant celebrations by thousands of Pasadena residents.
The Colorado Street Bridge played a crucial role in connecting Pasadena to Los Angeles, facilitating the city’s growth and development. Almost immediately, the bridge became a vital traffic artery. However, its two-lane width soon proved insufficient, with concerns about its capacity arising as early as the 1930s. It remained a part of Route 66 until the Arroyo Seco Parkway was completed in 1940. Despite its architectural beauty and functional importance, the Colorado Street Bridge unfortunately gained a somber reputation as the “suicide bridge.” The first recorded suicide occurred in 1919, and tragically, many more followed, particularly during the hardships of the Great Depression. Over the years, estimates suggest that over 100 lives have been lost to suicide at this location, casting a dark shadow over its history.
Designated a National Register of Historic Places landmark in 1981, the bridge had, by then, fallen into disrepair. Concrete chunks occasionally crumbled from its ornate arches and railings. Following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the bridge was closed as a safety precaution. Fortunately, a $27 million renovation project, funded by Federal, State, and local sources, restored the bridge to its former glory. It reopened in 1993, meticulously preserving its original ornate details while also incorporating a crucial suicide prevention rail.
Beyond its engineering and historical significance, the Colorado Street Bridge is also shrouded in local lore and tales of hauntings. Visitors are encouraged to admire the bridge’s architecture and then inquire with locals about the rumored spirits said to wander both the bridge and the Arroyo Seco below.
The Colorado Street Bridge gracefully spans the Arroyo Seco, carrying Colorado Blvd., situated just south of the Ventura Freeway, between North San Rafael Ave. and North Orange Grove Blvd. in Pasadena, CA. For a unique perspective, the bridge can be viewed from below by taking West Holly St. west from North Orange Grove Blvd., then turning left onto Arroyo Dr., which merges with North Arroyo Blvd. to pass underneath the bridge. The Pasadena Heritage organization, a local advocacy group, celebrates the bridge’s legacy by hosting a popular summer festival directly on the bridge itself, temporarily closing it to vehicle traffic.
To delve deeper into the history of the bridge and the annual festival, explore the Pasadena Heritage website. Further detailed information can be found in the Colorado Street Bridge National Register nomination form.
