California Incline
 The California Incline, facing north | |
| Former name(s) | Sunset Trail |
|---|---|
| Part of | California Avenue |
| Namesake | California |
| Type | Slanted road |
| Owner | City of Santa Monica |
| Maintained by | California Department of Transportation |
| Length | 1,400 ft (430 m) |
| West end |  SR 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) |
| East end | Ocean Avenue |
| Construction | |
| Completion | 1896 |
The California Incline is a slanted road in Santa Monica, California, connecting Ocean Avenue with Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). It technically runs along California Avenue, a major east-west street in Santa Monica.
History and overview
The California Incline was originally a walkway known as Sunset Trail, which was cut through the bluffs to provide beach access to pedestrians in 1896.[1] A roadway structure 1,400 feet in length was built in 1932. [2] It is a vital street in Santa Monica, linking PCH with Ocean Avenue and California Avenue, bisecting Palisades Park. It begins at an intersection with Ocean Avenue and California Avenue, at the top of the palisades, extending to PCH at the base of the bluffs.
2015-2016 reconstruction
The California Incline was identified as structurally deficient in the early 1990s.[3][4] In 2007, the City of Santa Monica secured federal highway funds to replace the structure with one meeting current seismic standards.[5] The new bridge consists of a pile-supported reinforced concrete slab structure with a width of 51' 8" (an increase of 5' 8" over the previous structure). [6][7] The project cost $17 million, with 88.5% coming from Federal funds and the balance from local funds. Construction began in April 2015, and took 17 months to complete. The roadway reopened to the public on September 1, 2016. The rebuilt structure includes wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes. [8]
Popular culture
The California Incline has been featured in various films, including It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and Knocked Up (2007). It was also portrayed in popular video game Grand Theft Auto V.
See also
References
- ^ Jenn Garbee; Nancy Gottesman; Margery L. Schwartz (2007). Hometown Santa Monica: The Bay Cities Book. Prospect Park Publishing. ISBN 0975393928. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ "California Incline Bridge Replacement Project" (PDF). Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ "California Incline Bridge Replacement Project (Revised)" (PDF). Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ Kurt Orzeck. "SM Has 3 'Structurally Deficient' Bridges". Santa Monica Patch. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ Mejia, Brittny. "California Incline in Santa Monica reopens to traffic after 17-month closure" Los Angelest Times, September 1 2016. Accessed September 1, 2016. [1]
- ^ "Yearlong California Incline Closure, Construction Project Is Underway in Santa Monica". KTLA. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
- ^ Parimal M. Rohit. "California Incline In Santa Monica To Close Next Fall For Reconstruction". Santa Monica Mirror. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ Mejia, Brittny. "California Incline in Santa Monica reopens to traffic after 17-month closure" Los Angelest Times, September 1 2016. Accessed September 1, 2016. [2]