Route 66-inspired rail bridge over Arcadia freeway is finished

The distinctively styled Gold Line Bridge for light rail over Interstate 210 in Arcadia, Calif., finished construction Saturday, according to a news release from the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority.

The 584-linear-foot sculptured bridge is the largest single public art/transit infrastructure project in California. Guests at the dedication ceremony Saturday were allowed to walk on the structure before the tracks are laid.

Designed by award-winning artist Andrew Leicester, the Gold Line Bridge is anchored by two, 25-foot ‘baskets’ that pay tribute to the indigenous peoples of the San Gabriel Valley and the oversize iconic roadside traditions of nearby Route 66. The distinctive bridge has a serpentine main underbelly featuring casted grooves and hatch marks that simulate the patterns found on the Western Diamondback snake, metaphorically referencing the spine of the transit system.

The $18.6 million project cost about the same as a typical light-rail bridge, and finished on time. It’s part of the 11.5-mile Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension light rail project between Pasadena and Asuza.

(Photos courtesy of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority)

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