The bridge is back: Burbank Boulevard Bridge re-opens with festive, retro ceremony
BURBANK — The Burbank Boulevard Bridge has re-opened, allowing holiday shoppers to quickly travel across the city. Officials hosted a hosted a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the re-opening on Wednesday, Nov. 24, just in time for the holiday weekend, with vintage autos and dignitaries making the ceremonial first crossing.
For motorists traveling across the Golden State (5) Freeway, the new bridge features three through lanes and two left turn lanes in each direction to access the highway. The bridge also includes bicycle lanes and a 10-foot sidewalk for pedestrians on the south side.
The ribbon-cutting festivities were inspired by the original bridge’s ribbon cutting event in 1961, officials said. The event concluded with a row of vintage automobiles escorting City Council members and otherofficials in a “first drive” across the bridge.
“We are very excited about the reopening,” Burbank Mayor Bob Frutos said. “Just in time for the holiday shopping for Burbankers to easily travel through and around the city.”
Frutos added: “Today’s completion of the new, modern Burbank Boulevard Bridge is a milestone that will benefit many. Residents and visitors to the area will have a smoother driving experience. And it’s a big step towards ultimately widening the I-5, the backbone of trade and commerce in the western United States.”
The bridge was also moved 125 feet to the west of the old bridge to straighten the freeway alignment and improve drivers’ visibility along the freeway.
“The new Burbank Boulevard Bridge is longer than the old 1961 span, and its construction will allow Caltrans to extend carpool lanes in both directions on I-5,” said Mark Archuleta, Deputy District Director for Construction for Caltrans’ District 7. “These improvements will help to ease traffic on the freeway as well as provide extra safety for both drivers, bikers and pedestrians.”
The enhancements are part of reconstruction of the Burbank Boulevard interchange into a “diamond interchange,” which makes access to and from the freeway more direct for drivers. It replaces older loop ramps with straightened ones that meet current safety and capacity standards.
The old northbound 5 Freeway on-ramp, which was previously separated from the interchange and connected to a residential street, was relocated into the interchange.
The bridge will remain open with some minor lane, ramp or overnight closures to finish the overall freeway construction.
The Burbank Boulevard Bridge reconstruction is the last part of the 5 Freeway corridor improvement project for the city of Burbank.
City News Service contributed to this report