Sixth Street Viaduct Study

Los Angeles, California

The Sixth Street Viaduct reopened in 2022, reconnecting Boyle Heights and the Arts District with a striking new landmark.

I walked the bridge shortly after it opened to shoot its concrete forms from various angles as a creative challenge. As I worked, I watched as Angelenos came out to reclaim this new connection between East LA and downtown – kids on bikes, teens on scooters, couples in cars slowing down to record video on their phones, everyone taking in the swooping arches. For one shot I hopped a fence onto a hillside wedged between the 10 and 101 to get an elevated view looking back toward downtown, which turned out to be my favorite one. The reopening was a big deal – the original 1932 viaduct had been a beloved L.A. icon before deteriorating beyond repair – and Angelenos quickly embraced the new structure with epic street takeovers in classic Los Angeles fashion.