HNTB-MMA TEAM WINS
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
FOR LA'S SIXTH STREET VIADUCT
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Councilmember Jose Huizar announced the HNTB-MMA team as the winners of the international design competition for the Los Angeles Sixth Street Viaduct replacement project. During a press conference this morning on the existing viaduct, Mayor Villaraigosa commented that “The new 6th Street Bridge will be a world-class, iconic piece of Los Angeles infrastructure because of this international design competition and the community’s involvement every step of the way.”
The design was chosen by a selection committee comprised of members of the Bureau of Engineering and Caltrans. A Design Aesthetic Advisory Committee (DAAC) comprised of local community and business leaders from Boyle Heights and the Arts District, architects, and engineers, unanimously endorsed the selection of the HNTB-MMA design. DAAC Member Eric Owen Moss recognized that “…the charge for the committee was that Los Angeles’ tradition of non-tradition in design and architecture was sustained, and I think we’ve done that.” Moss went on to say that the design is “an aesthetic icon, it’s a poetic icon, it’s an architectural icon, and it’s a social icon.”
The winning design was recognized for its innovative strategy that not only addresses the central crossing of the Los Angeles River but incorporates an expansive vision for the area below the viaduct. It also serves to connect vibrant Boyle Heights on the east to the Arts District on the west. Councilmember José Huizar recognized that “Our new bridge will not only bring people from Point A to Point B, but to Point C. The bridge itself will be a shining-star destination spot worthy of the City of Angels.” The plan accommodates multi-modal traffic including car lanes, bike paths, and pedestrian sidewalks and introduces new viaduct access points at each of the structural arches. It also incorporates new parks and recreation spaces along the LA River and provides a unique new bridge crossing that will allow pedestrians an unprecedented view of the River.
The collaborative HNTB-MMA team of architects and engineers includes design partners AC Martin and Hargreaves Associates. The design was one of three considered by the City; the other competition finalists were AECOM and Parson Brinckerhoff.
