Colorado Street Bridge050

Standing 150 feet high and extending 1,468 feet, the Colorado Street Bridge - listed on the National Register of Historic Places - is likely the first of Pasadena's many landmarks that visitors spot as they enter the city on the 134 freeway. The bridge is also likely to be familiar to fans of television and film, having been used in countless movies and TV programs.

The bridge was built in 1913, solving a persistent problem for the city's residents: crossing the deep and rocky Arroyo Seco watershed by horse and buggy. Finding solid footing in the Arroyo bed was difficult for architects; engineer John Drake Mercereau came up with the idea to curve the bridge, and a work of art was created.

Looking north, the bridge overlooks Brookside Park, the Pasadena Rose Bowl, and the stately San Gabriel Mountain range. Looking south, visitors can see the untamed Arroyo Seco and its many hiking paths.

In 1989 the city closed the bridge, after engineers found it structurally weak. It underwent an extensive restoration project - to the tune of $27.4 million - and reopened in 1994. The bridge closes again one night each July, when it hosts a lively summer celebration sponsored by Pasadena Heritage.