Public Works
Bridges and Viaducts of the Los Angeles River from Los Feliz Blvd. to Washington Blvd.

The bridges over the L.A. River through downtown Los Angeles were built by the City Public Works Department between 1910 and 1932. This period saw exponential population growth. The city grew 5 times larger during this time and saw many changes to its infrastructure. One of the largest projects, The L.A. Aqueduct, completed in 1913, brought water from the Owens Valley to the city, quenching a growing thirst for water. Although on a smaller scale, the bridges reliably connected the two halves of the city, allowing and furthering the aims of civic leaders to grow the city into the largest in the west. My interest in the L.A. River came from my interest in the history of the city and the large role the river has, and continues to have, in shaping the city. The city was founded on the banks of the river because it was the only large reliable source of water in the region. It is the reason the city is where it is. Curious about the way the river looked, led me to investigate its history and relationship to the city. I found that the way the river looked was a result of its history. In this way, the bridges over the river have also been shaped by the history of the city to which they belong.