$588M Bridge in Los Angeles Closes Numerous Times Due to Illegal Activity

Los Angeles, CA - July 27:Cool design and city views are big draws to the new 6th street b
David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images
Ethan Letkeman

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) shut down the newly constructed $588 million Sixth Street Viaduct bridge again on Tuesday night due to illegal activity and safety concerns.

The bridge reopened Wednesday morning after police attempted to deter disruptive behavior that has been recently occurring on the bridge. It was the fourth time in five nights that police had shut down the bridge to traffic, Fox 11 reported.

The newly constructed viaduct, which connects the downtown area to Boyle Heights over the Los Angeles River, was opened on July 10 after replacing the previous Sixth Street Viaduct that was demolished in 2016.

However, since its reopening, it has become infamous for numerous problems that some people are causing for police and law-abiding citizens.

Mischievous antics on the bridge have gone viral as footage ranges from people receiving haircuts in the middle of the street to people performing dangerous activities such as doing street takeovers, street racing, donuts, and climbing and skateboarding on the ribbon bridge’s arches.

Shocking video footage also captured a white Dodge Challenger appearing to speed on the bridge before it suddenly slammed on the brakes and crashed head-on into oncoming traffic, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The LAPD has issued over 57 citations and impounded six vehicles on the bridge in the past four days, according to Police Chief Michel Moore.

City Officials are responding by implementing speed bumps and could temporarily install a center median and fencing to deter people from climbing the arches, ABC 7 reported.

Over the past year, 657 street takeovers have been documented by the LAPD. They have also issued “352 misdemeanor arrests, impounded 439 cars and issued more than 2,000 citations related to street racing and takeovers,” the outlet noted.

The previous bridge, constructed in 1932, was a notable landmark within the city as it was seen in movies such as Grease and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, but its eroding structure was deemed “seismically unsound” before it was eventually demolished, according to Fox 11.

Officials are hoping the newly constructed viaduct will become an iconic landmark in L.A., similar to how the Brooklyn Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge define their cities, the Los Angeles Times noted.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.

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