LA Hires Firm to Relight Sixth Street Bridge
The city of Los Angeles has hired engineering firm Tetra Tech to relight the Sixth Street Bridge following extensive copper wire theft. The project will also include added security measures in preparation for the 2028 Olympics.
- The "Ribbon of Light," as the bridge is known, has been largely dark for nearly two years due to persistent copper wire theft that began shortly after its July 2022 opening. - Thieves have stolen nearly seven miles (approximately 38,000 feet) of copper wire from the bridge. While the scrap value was estimated at around $11,000, the initial cost to taxpayers for repairs was estimated at $2.5 million. - The new $5.3 million contract with Pasadena-based Tetra Tech covers not only the bridge relighting and security enhancements but also work on the adjacent 12-acre Sixth Street PARC project. The design portion for the bridge lighting alone is about $1 million. - New security measures will include fortifying pull boxes, service cabinets, and conduits to make them more resistant to theft, as well as the installation of a security camera system. - This is not the city's first attempt to address the issue; in 2024, the LAPD formed a "Heavy Metal Task Force" to combat metal theft, and the City Council approved a reward program for information. - The original $588-million viaduct, which connects Boyle Heights to the downtown Arts District, was a celebrated engineering achievement, winning the 2023 Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies. - The relighting project is being fast-tracked to ensure the iconic bridge is fully illuminated before Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Summer Olympics.
