This L.A. landmark was hailed as a 'ribbon of light.' Scrap metal thieves have made it dark and invisible

0:00 0:00 1x

This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here .

When the 6th Street Bridge opened, it was promoted as a gateway to usher in a new era for Los Angeles, an architectural masterpiece showcasing the city’s place on the world stage before the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.

With its 10 rising arches, illuminated with thousands of LEDs to look like a ribbon of light for miles around, the bridge was hailed as the next L.A. monument, up there with the likes of the Hollywood sign and the “Urban Light” assemblage at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

But three years later, the lofty aspirations for the bridge have gone dark, along with its rising arches, because of copper thieves. Today, the viaduct is less an emblem of ur