The old Motor Avenue bridge, which once carried streetcars to the Westside via one track, is being demolished to make way for a new two-track bridge that can carry light rail cars for the Expo Line extension to Santa Monica. Expo follower Dwight Sturtevant snapped this photo of the bridge in the middle of its demolition--the construction authority is using a "hydraulic hammer, torches, and cranes to break, cut, and remove the concrete and metal structural material of the Motor Avenue Bridge." The destruction finishes in August and the new bridge will be completed in six to 12 months. Meanwhile, work has started on the Centinela bridge, which will bring trains over toward Olympic Boulevard and on to Colorado Boulevard. Workers started restriping traffic lanes, setting up concrete barriers, and today they began excavating abutments for the bridge. Hardcore work starts a week from today and will take about a year. The Venice Boulevard bridge that will bring trains from the current Culver City terminus toward the Palms station won't start visible work for a bit as utilities in the vicinity need to be removed first (there's also a Sepulveda bridge, but that's not close to starting either). All this is happening while a neighborhood group known as Neighbors for Smart Rail is petitioning the state supreme court to hear its argument against the Expo Line; they've already lost two court battles to stop the train.
· Expo Line Phase II Archives [Curbed LA]
· BuildExpo [Official Site]
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