Shakespeare Bridge, Gothic-style deck arch bridge in Franklin Hills, Los Angeles, US.
Shakespeare Bridge is a concrete deck arch bridge spanning a ravine in Franklin Hills, Los Angeles, with Gothic-inspired turrets rising from its piers. The structure carries vehicles and pedestrians and rises about 100 feet above the canyon floor, with the decorative towers forming distinctive silhouettes visible from nearby streets.
The bridge opened in 1926 as an engineering solution with decorative character reflecting the era's approach to infrastructure design. Major structural work after the 1994 Northridge earthquake modified its internal configuration to better withstand future seismic activity.
The bridge's name references Shakespeare, and locals often stop to admire the ornamental turrets that give the structure a theatrical character uncommon for traffic crossings. The decorative elements make drivers and pedestrians alike aware they are passing through a landmark rather than just another functional overpass.
The bridge is best viewed from Franklin Avenue, where the full height of the structure and its decorative details become apparent. Visiting at different times of day reveals how light plays across the concrete surfaces and turrets.
During reconstruction after the earthquake, engineers eliminated the expansion joints to create a single unified structural diaphragm that moves as one piece. This hidden modification changed how the bridge responds to seismic forces in ways that are invisible to passing observers.
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