California Construction News staff writer
Los Angeles marked a major milestone last week with the groundbreaking of the $208 million Glendale Hyperion Bridge Improvement Project, a long-anticipated infrastructure overhaul that has been more than 20 years in the making.
A joint effort led by the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering (BOE), with key partners including Caltrans, Council District 4, Council District 13, and multiple federal, state and local agencies, construction will upgrade the structure to better withstand an earthquake event, restore the bridge’s historical appearance, and improve circulation and safety for people driving, biking, walking, and rolling.
The structure spans the Los Angeles River, the I-5 freeway and Riverside Drive, connecting Atwater Village and Silver Lake and has long been recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument and includes five separate bridge structures along the Glendale-Hyperion corridor.
Originally built nearly a century ago, the bridge predates the channelization of the Los Angeles River and has become a recognizable landmark featured in films and even replicated at Disney California Adventure.
A fun fact shared by project partners highlights the structure’s legacy: it was completed in 1929, long before the LA River was encased in concrete.
The $208-million upgrade project is being led by BOE and funded primarily through Federal Highway Administration allocations administered by Caltrans, totalling approximately $250 million.
The scope of work includes a full seismic retrofit, widening for pedestrian and bicycle access, ADA improvements, stormwater capture systems, and restoration of historic architectural elements such as balustrades, pylons, arches and lighting fixtures.
Additional improvements include reconfiguring the I-5 northbound off-ramp to improve traffic flow, adding bike lanes along Hyperion Avenue, and enhancing pedestrian crossings on Glendale Boulevard bridges.
The project also integrates river access improvements tied to the LA River revitalization effort, including connections to the LA RiverWay bike and pedestrian network. A pedestrian link over the river—the Red Car Pedestrian Bridge—was completed in 2021 as part of earlier phases.
Stormwater management features such as infiltration basins and swales are also included to help improve water quality in the Los Angeles River.
Construction is expected to take five to six years to complete, with officials saying the project balances seismic safety, modern transportation needs and historic preservation.
Once finished, the upgraded corridor is expected to significantly improve safety and mobility for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians while maintaining one of Los Angeles’ most historically significant bridge structures.
