Shakespeare Bridge

The Shakespeare Bridge in the Franklin Hills section of Los Angeles, California, was built in 1926. It is made of concrete and decorated in a Gothic style. It was named after famous playwright William Shakespeare and later designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #126 in 1974.

Shakespeare Bridge
Shakespeare Bridge in 1956
Coordinates	34°06′20″N 118°16′46″W
Carries	Franklin Avenue
Crosses	Ravine
Locale	Franklin Hills section of Los Angeles, California
Characteristics
Design	Open-spandrel reinforced concrete deck arch bridge
Total length	260 feet (79 m)
Width	30 feet (9.1 m)
History
Opened	1926 -- rebuilt 1998
Location

Franklin Avenue Bridge (Shakespeare Bridge)
Shakespeare Bridge in 2007
Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument
Designated	April 17, 1974[1]
Reference no.	126

The bridge was rebuilt in 1998 after the Northridge earthquake due to concerns that the structure would not be stable in the event of an earthquake in the Franklin Hills area. As part of the seismic retrofit, the deck, sidewalks, and railings were removed and reconstructed using reinforced concrete. The expansion joints were also removed, so the bridge deck is now a one-piece structural diaphragm built to transfer all seismic forces into the abutment walls at either end of the bridge. All of the rebuilding was done in an effort to preserve the historic appearance of the bridge.