Bell, CA

Gage Avenue Over Los Angeles River Bridge Replacement Project

Client: City of Bell, Calif.
Our Role: Design

Overhead view rendering of the proposed new Gage Avenue Bridge over the Los Angeles River in Bell, Calif.

The existing 476-foot-long concrete Gage Avenue Bridge over the Los Angeles River was constructed in 1940, with seismic retrofits in 1998. The five-span, T-girder structure features two travel lanes and a pedestrian walkway in each direction. It is chronically congested, operationally deficient, and has limited capacity.

To address this need, the city successfully pursued bridge funding from the Federal Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation Program. The Gage Avenue Bridge Improvement Project will replace and widen the existing two-lane bridge to include four standard lane widths, shoulders, sidewalks, and new street lighting.

GFT is the design consultant for the replacement of the existing Gage Avenue Bridge. Our contract will take the bridge through scoping and funding to the final plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E) for construction.

Gage Avenue and I-710 form a network of regional significance, connecting the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, and others. These roadways also provide interconnectivity for various public and business facilities and the Los Angeles River Bike Trail, located on the west side of the channel.

Gage Avenue’s general plan transportation elements include:

Four lanes.
A raised center median.
Standard shoulders.
Sidewalks with a bridge railing.

Additionally, the City of Bell has requested observation areas on each side of the bridge to provide pedestrians with unobstructed views of the Los Angeles River.

The bridge serves as a gateway to the City of Bell, and the client requested architectural enhancements. GFT provided three options to the city:

Concept A: Traditional
Description: Traditional treatment with pilasters supporting familiar light fixtures, handrails that infill the spaces between the pilasters, and concrete texture suggesting masonry building materials along the pedestrian walkways and observation areas.
Concept B: Modern
Description: A modern interpretation of more traditional bridge crossings with modern pilasters supporting modern LED light fixtures and a continuous railing with a repeating, undulating texture on both the inside and outside faces of the railing.
Concept C: Modern Arches
Description: A nod to some of the historic arch bridges found in Southern California, such as the original Sixth Street Viaduct over the Los Angeles River, this design includes above-deck architectural ribbons mimicking the shape of those historic arch bridges.
The City of Bell surveyed its residents to determine which design they preferred. A total of 321 residents responded to the survey, with 44% selecting “Concept C: Modern Arches.”

Key Features

Reconstruction of the existing bridge to add two lanes of traffic in each direction.
The addition of observation areas to provide pedestrians with views of the Los Angeles River.

Outcomes

Increased hydraulic efficiency by reducing the number of substructure units within the channel.
Improved aesthetics, making this bridge a truly beautiful gateway to the City of Bell.